TALE OF A PARANOID DIRECTOR...

My assistant just sent me the paranoia-filled message of a director I was in touch with, and this is an anecdote I wanted to share with all of you, but especially with FEMALE WRITERS as I'm sure being a woman  is the most important point of this tale.

Next week, I was in touch with a director for a supernatural thriller... I was in contact with this person for this project, but he's a name on a long list of potential filmmakers, he has done very little films, and  he's now more famous for the projects he did not make than the films he actually directed.

As most of you know, I'm a very courteous person and naturally, I sent him a copy of my script since it was, what this director had requested.

Here is the first weird response to the receipt of the script he requested himself:

Mr. Tate,
Thanks for sending, but I can't promise I will even find the time to look at this. 
M. director.

First thought that comes to mind is:  This person is extremely disrespectful towards writers, and I should walk away. Why asking for a copy of a script to reply you don't have the time to read it?
Moreover, this all sounds very unprofessional...A professional filmmaker would do a writer the courtesy of reading the material he requested...If he’s coherent…Not sure the man is but…

Secondly, why Mister? Obviously, to this person ,a writer must inevitably be a man... Most people reply « Dear Jordan, or Dear Jordan Tate« , but rarely Mister, with the deep conviction that there is a man behind each screenplay written in this world.
But I know for a fact that many artists are eccentric, and despite a very painful back  due to a recent injury, I respond back:

Thank you for your reply Mister Director,
It is Miss Tate, not Mister. I will send you updates as to who are the talents interested in the project as it moves forward. I'm convinced a professional person like you will find the time to read a project. I trust you and I trust your talent, otherwise I would not submit my screenplay. I hope you'll also find the time to visit my website jordantate.net to see who I am.

Sincerely, Jordan Tate.

Very respectful message, what do you think? This is my policy as long as someone respects me and my work. Which, to me, is exactly the same. MY WORK IS A PART OF ME.

Moments later, a tweet is posted on my page reading:
Courting @thedirector for a project, love his work...

The kind of tweet that all artists love to read, most artists post this kind of tweets, a lot of us post a tweet to someone telling them "I'm trying to reach you for a project etc"...It's very common in the twitter world.

Naturally, in  the meantime, this director has clicked on the link and visited my site, this is logical, and this is what everybody would do, as most human beings, even egocentric directors, are curious...

And moments later, here is the paranoia-filled  reply he sent me:

This tweet means I won't read your script sorry...

Weird and laughable excuse, we all understand that this very deferential tweet can not be the issue...The concern is that this person wanted a male writer, as his first message screamed. The truth is that he disliked my reply to his message stating that I'm a woman and suggesting that a professional filmmaker who requests a screenplay must do the writer the courtesy of reading it.

For the records, this filmmaker specializes in ditching movies just a few days before the filming:

My answer:  "You treated me as if I was Cinderella and behaved like a wolfman..."
But as Jackie Robinson would say: I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me... All I ask is that you respect me as a human being." 
And I would like to add: "as a FEMALE WRITER".
Jordan Tate.