A few days ago on the FilmFlam list, Jesse Walker pointed out this article about screenwriter Dale Launer, who wrote the scripts for some great movies (like Ruthless People, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and My Cousin Vinny) but was sick of the shabby treatment that writers generally get in Hollywood. So he sunk about $100,000 of his own money into filming a movie himself — absolutely no studio involvement. I don’t know when it will be released, or how widely it will be seen, but his story is a compelling look at the gritty details of getting an indy movie made on your own, particularly if you’re concerned about maintaining a decent level of quality. Hopefully I’ll be doing the same kinda thing in a few years . . .