The Laureate is a universal and compelling story about a man for whom creativity is everything, falls under the spell of a woman who treats him poorly.

Because she has become his Muse, his dedication to her becomes synonymous with his dedication to his art and knows no bounds.  The 1920s was a time of dramatic world upheaval politically, socially, and monetarily especially in England where it was awakening after decades of Victorian society. For women, it was a time of daring, to push boundaries not just in public life, but in personal lives where the passions and power struggles of a relationship could be just as inspirational or dangerous. To dare sexually, culturally, emotionally, politically, and spiritually in the 1920s was to risk much. To dare as independent woman or worse a married one with a stranger from abroad was to risk everything.

At its core, The Laureate is a study of intense relationships: what created them, what can undo them, what they encompass, what they can alter, and what they can’t. I want to probe deeply into the characters and through my understanding of them, my abilities to convey their passions to the screen and connect with the audience will be profound.

Although The Laureate will be seen by some as a period art movie, it is not.  A love story is universal no matter the period, the times the characters live through, and the circumstances of that era.  I plan to shoot the film in a modern way, and tell a story that is universal to all people regardless of their way of life.  It is story of wanting to be loved unconditionally and the consequences of that love.  We plan to use a very young cast that will appeal to a younger audience while keeping the subject matter focused for all age groups.

A fresh approach to the “biopic-literary genre” will be key here.  Robert suffered through shell shock, and basic poverty, and I will not hold back in the telling of what these circumstances are like. It is because of these difficult times, one will be able to see how a person like Laura (someone who may not likeable to an audience) might be seen by Robert as his true love and savior. The shooting style will come out of the characterisation and story.

We plan to shoot at the actual locations where the events took place: World’s End (Islip), 35A St. Peter’s Square (Hammersmith, London), and the surrounding London area. I feel this decision will bring much realism to the story.  The Laureate is a film that will require broad brush strokes of primary colors and not just fine pencil strokes. The film has to resonate with a general public, and not a limited audience interested in literature and scholarship. The way to do that is to keep things simple in the dialogue and acting, have a visually strong film, and establishing the fact that good and evil does not come in neat packages. Therefore at the conclusion of The Laureate, I hope to have succeeded in making the audience feel that they have been living with these characters along with them.

William Nunez

New York (Janurary 15, 2009)