formerly: NIKIE, PATENT 647,576, TESLA PATENT 647,576
Whatever the reason for this reversal of fortune, it was a grave insult to Tesla and has remained a hotly debated mystery to this day. Unfortunately, Tesla was in no financial condition to fight Marconi because, shortly after the court decision, his laboratory (and papers) "mysteriously" burnt to the ground. Had Tesla so infuriated his competition, by winning the bid for the 1893 World's Fair (with his superior system of AC electricity which made Edison's inferior DC system obsolete), that Marconi (Edison and/or Carnegi) conspired to destroyed his lab? Our movie, TESLA, takes the position that this is exactly what happened.
Orson Wells, in similar fashion, angered the powers-that-be (William Randolph Hearst) by producing the winning movie, CITIZEN KANE. He was likewise blacklisted and destroyed in the movie industry. Thus, is it any surprise that one of the last movies Wells acted in was TAJNA NIKOLE TESLE (THE SECRET OF NIKOLA TESLA) -- financed and produced in Yugoslavia with Orson playing the part of, none other than, J.P. Morgan? To this day, THE SECRET OF NIKOLA TESLA is virtually unknown to American audiences (possible because the film was rather mediocre if not bad.) Orson's acting, however, was a great effort, but the film was only able to bring to the screen a tiny portion of the tragedy of Nikola Tesla.
Fortunately, in 1943, the United States Supreme Court realized its mistake and again reversed its decision naming Tesla's patent 645,576 the primary source of radio. Nevertheless, it's unfortunate that most people still think Marconi invented the radio; think that Edison was the greatest inventor ever; think J.P. Morgan was not a crook; and know little, if anything, about the true story of Nikola Tesla. But the greatest tragedy of all may be that a heart-broken Nikola Tesla died just three months before the high-court made its rectifying decision.
Some say Tesla's only "mistake" was that he wanted to give the world an abundant supply of cheap (or free), clean electrical energy and make it possible for his fellow humans to easily communicate with each other over vast distances. But the money-grubbing powers of the time were not so altruistic. High-fashion, money-driven New York society in 1920 was at once no place, and the only place, a brilliant electrical genius could promote for the backing to his altruistic inventions.
The man who invented alternating current, the bladeless turbine, florescent lighting and radio could mock-up an electrical schematic in his head. And when it was built, it worked, the first and every time. Such a man was intimidating. Thomas Edison, the pragmatic businessman-inventor, did not know how to deal with him and so, on at least one occasion, he reneged on a $50,000 bonus after Tesla solved an intractable electrical problem on the SS Oregon in far less time than humanly possible.
After Tesla understood and mastered low frequency electromagnetic force (and set the standard for the 60 cycles per second alternating current that we use today), he naturally moved his research into higher frequency investigation. This lead to an understanding of how electricity could be transmitted over long distances and eventually, further research in this direction, lead to the invention of radio. Some of Tesla's discoveries of high-frequency phenomenon above the radio band lead to his independent discovery of X-rays and even phenomena that gives governments the creeps to this day. Tesla once said he could split the planet in half with standing wave resonance -- concepts that are responsible for the atomic clock -- so don't bet your life he couldn't.
Nevertheless, with little regard for the pedestrian goal of making money and to filing his 140 patents, Tesla was more concerned about using his time and mind for the good of humanity. This was so true, had Tesla retained the rights to his patents for the polyphase generator alone, he would have been one of the richest men on earth. In other words, every place one sees the GE logo today, they would see the TESLA logo instead.
Probably the greatest friend Mankind has every had (our entire industrialized civilization was made possible by him almost single-handedly), the world has paid Nikola Tesla "respect" by literally stealing the fruits of his genius . . . and then forgetting him.
TESLA is a story that the daring Orson Wells would attempt, but an attempt that so far has only scratched the surface because most of the picture focused on Tesla's life before he arrived in America. PBS, to their credit, has released a documentary which substantiates many of Tesla's contributions, however the essence of Nikola Tesla, and what motivated him, has still not been properly addressed. Also, when he died in 1946, the government rushed into his New York apartment and confiscated all his papers and gadgets. This has not been addressed either.
Why is it entirely possible that TESLA could be recognized as BEST PICTURE by the Academy? Because of the confluence of cinematic elements supporting one of the most astounding, if not tragic, stories of all time. A motion picture that embodies the American Dream like no other, yet speaks to the vast inequities in that dream. A motion picture that explores the heady New York politics of Tesla's most productive years in the age of innocence with a cast of characters we have come to know -- J.P. Morgan, Sara Bernhardt, Mark Twain, John D. Rockefeller, the Astors, the Vanderbilts, Flora Dodge, Henry Ford, Katharine Johnson, Thomas Edison -- each, though they loved or hated him, always admired him.
In summary, here is why TESLA must be made:
1. HEAVY CONFLICT: TESLA is a picture that contains heavy conflict, about as heavy as it gets in the business and creative worlds: the conflict between Edison/General Electric vs. Tesla/Westinghouse; the conflict between AC and DC; the conflict between marriage and bachelorhood; between love and career dedication; between making money and giving to society.
2. DRAMATIC CHARACTERS. Do you get more dramatic characters? Tesla, a handsome, eccentric Serbian genius who, though not gay, thwarts the passion of endless women literally throwing themselves at him. Mark Twain, Tesla's best friend who stays up all night in the lab drinking and joking around with his "mad scientist" buddy. J.P. Morgan, then the richest man alive and the country's lender of last resort. The ultimate financier who could ruthlessly make or break any man -- or inventor -- on Wall Street. Anne Morgan, JP's beloved daughter, who adored Nikola Tesla only to be amongst those thwarted by the Serbian "genius." Thomas Edison, America's greatest inventor, complete with his quirks and flaws, was ultimately so intimidated by Tesla's genius, he allowed himself to participate in some drastic measures.
3. INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT STORY. Industrialized civilization would not have been possible without Tesla's invention of the polyphase generator and AC (alternating current) which made possible the long-range transmission of electrical energy. Had Tesla not invented AC, New York City would not exist as we know it today because there would be no way to bring electricity from Niagara Falls, where the first generator to operate on Tesla technology was installed (leading the way for all generators in the United States to operate ultimately on Tesla technology, as they do to this very day).
4. VISUAL SETTING. New York City at the turn of the century, "the age of innocence," has to be one of the most moving and cinematic settings possible. The horse-drawn carriages, the busy streets, the ditches, sweatshops and labs; the elegant and stately attire of high society; the posh restaurants, hotels and mansions where Tesla occasioned; the twisted maze of dangerous electrical wiring strung all over the city by 20 competing, incompatible power companies.
5. INCREADIBLE SPECIAL FXs. Modern digital technology makes it possible to produce this picture in a way Orson would be proud: 135-foot sparks flying from Tesla's high frequency coils; Wardenclyffe Tower sending and receiving bolts of lightning from the stratosphere; static electricity pervading and gapping every metal object in the town; a nuclear-size blast in the Tungusta forest.
The above cinematic elements will combine to make TESLA visually exciting, tragic, and again, potentially BEST PICTURE. Hundreds of millions of Tesla fans the world over are waiting for this movie.
STORY & SCREENPLAY:
CAST:
PREMISE:
If the definition of a tragic figure is that the figure holds the roots of his demise within his own belief system, Nikola Tesla is one of America's true tragic figures. So smart in the ways of science, yet so myopic in the ways of romance, Tesla sowed the seeds of his own demise with his belief that "I do not believe an inventor should marry, because he has so intense a nature, with so much in it of wild, passionate quality, that in giving himself to a woman he might love, he would give everything and so take everything from his chosen field." TESLA, potentially a 2-part movie-of-the week, is an adventure in turn-of the century New York that changes civilization forever, but not as much as it might have. (Drama)
TREATMENT:
Most everyone has been lead to believe that THOMAS EDISON was the greatest inventor that ever lived and that GUGLIELMO MARCONI invented the radio. But actually Nikola Tesla filed two critical, underlying patents and physically demonstrated a radio system with all of the fundamental components several years before Marconi -- in 1897. For this reason, Marconi's patent applications were rightfully rejected by the U.S Patent Office. But Marconi, an Italian nobleman of means, joined forces with Edison, ANDREW CARNEGI and J.P. MORGAN to establish a public corporation to beat Tesla to the market place: no matter what. Thus strangely (or not), in 1904, the Patent Office reversed its decision and granted Marconi the underlying patent for the invention of radio.
PRODUCTION COMPANY:
Matrixx Productions
223 W. Lancaster Ave.
Devon, PA 19333
(610) 688-9212
PRODUCER UNIT:
James R. Jaeger II, Producer
DIRECTOR:
James Jaeger
James Jaeger
James Caviezel (provisional)
PRODUCTION DESIGNER:
Dante Ferretti (provisional)
CONSULTANTS:
John W. Wagner
Ken Gullekson
SHOOTING LOCATIONS:
New York City, Colorado Springs, Pittsburgh
SEEKING:
$100,000 development capital from an active investor who is qualified to provide meaningful services to the production in the capacity of Executive Producer. The company will grant repayment with interest or profit participation. This is not an offer to sell or buy any securities.
If you are interested in working on this project or receiving a package or memorandum, contact us.
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