Distant Vision

N.p. N.p., 2013-2017. A small archive of approximately 70 leaves, largely regarding casting and readings for Francis Ford Coppola's ongoing experimental film project, "Distant Vision," belonging to Coppola's long-time producer, Fred Roos, with the majority of the material written in Roos' hand, 2013-2017. Found here under various working titles including, "Coppola Project," "Dark Electric Vision," "Distant Vision," "D.V.," "FFC," and "F. Coppola Project."

Included in the archive are:

Copious handwritten notes on casting considerations and recommendations from Roos, including actor availability, skill sets, and reactions to meetings and readings.

A four-page "'Men' For Discussion" and "'Women' For Discussion," on "Bright / Daniels Casting" letterhead, dated March 5, 2013, listing actors and their ages.

A three-page email printout, from "Bright / Daniels Casting," dated March 5, 2013, listing "Godfather I, II and III Actors for Discussion."

A two-page list, on "Bright / Daniels Casting" letterhead, dated March 7, 2013, of "'Faith' For Discussion," listing actors for the role, with pencil annotations in Roos' hand.

Five listings, on "Bright / Daniels Casting" letterhead, of actors for readings which took place from March 16, 2013 to August 1, 2014, which included Kate Beckinsale, Vincent D'Onofrio, Elle Fanning, Andy Garcia, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Oscar Isaac, Uma Thurman, and Marisa Tomei, among others.

A three-page email printout, from "Bright / Daniels Casting," dated March 19, 2013, listing actors for a proposed reading the following day, with the actor's headshot, their character's name, and their contact information or agency, with ink annotations in Roos' hand. Including actors Linda Cardellini, Frank Grillo, Dakota Johnson, Max Minghella, and Imogen Poots, among others.

A four page handwritten draft of a letter to Coppola in Roos' hand, regarding an upcoming January 15, 2014 table reading with thirteen questions for Coppola, largely regarding casting and actor availability.

Four pages from a Draft script, with the ink annotation of "Fred's Notes on June 25, 2014 Draft," with notes regarding the script in Roos' hand on two pages.

A four-page "Cast of Characters," listing all the characters with brief descriptions, for the following timelines in the script: "1922," "1928-30," "1939," "1947," "1952," "Flashback - 1890's," "1959," "1962," and "1969."

A four-page list of "Cast of Characters," with ages depicted and detailed descriptions, along with "Minor Characters" with brief descriptions.

A three-page list of all the characters and the script pages on which the characters appear.

And a two-page list, on "Bright / Daniels Casting" letterhead, of actors up for discussion, dated August 22, 2017.

All material housed in a generic orange folder, with post-its with marker annotations of "Distant Vision" affixed to the front panel and tab with cello tape.

Conceived by Coppola as an experimental film project in the early 2000's, "Distant Vision" depicts three generations of an Italian American family during the advent and omnipresence of television, intended to be filmed as "live cinema," Coppola's experimental and potentially ground-breaking concept for a live production-film hybrid. Two different versions of a "proof of concept" production were broadcast to limited audiences in June 2015, from Oklahoma City Community College, and in July 2016, from the UCLA School of Theater.

Coppola had planned to film more sequences financed from his 2024 film "Megalopolis," but had been thus far put on hold following the film's disappointing box office returns.

All material approximately 8.5 x 11 inches. Near Fine overall, housed in a Near Fine 8.5 x 11.5 generic orange folder.

[Book #170439]