The story behind the flagship of the Mackinac Island Novel series, The Dockporter, has as many twists and turns as the tale itself. Originally conceived as a feature film to shoot on location on Mackinac Island, the film was set to roll with me (Dave McVeigh) and my partner/brother Scott co-directing.
As everyone knows, feature films take a lot of time and money and unfortunately, the real world got in the way. The production was put on hold. But years later, the idea still burned bright.
In 2020, living in the Philippines and existing on a steady diet of mangoes, podcasts and audiobooks, I began to reimagine the story as an audio experience, complete with the unique sounds of the island and a distinctive score.
Of course, that would first mean “novelizing” the film script. I enlisted friend and writer Jim Bolone and we worked together to turn the film script into a novel and an audio experience.
The Dockporter now lives, proof that stories are what matter, regardless of the format they take or how long it takes to tell them.
So, for those film geeks or fans of the novel, we thought it might be fun to show a draft of the original script and how it changed when it became a novel.
Here’s the first scene of The Dockporter as a movie script. This version dates back to 2011, but there are even older versions.
Enjoy!
FADE IN:
EXT. LAKE HURON - DAY
The Straits of Mackinac, the passage between the Upper and Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It’s a gray fall day as a ferry boat, the SS Huron, plows through tough seas.
OVER THIS WE HEAR snippets of a phone exchange.
VOICE 1 (O.S.)
It’s an SUV in the Bonneville Salt Flats. Any idiot in the world can get the shots.
CLOSE ON a cart full of luggage. A tag flutters in the wind. On it is scribbled Jack McGuinn: Photographer.
VOICE 2 (O.S.)
But they don't want any idiot in the world. They want one particular idiot: Jack McGuinn. These guys bent over backward. Actually, thanks to me, they bent over forward. And you split town on me!? You’ll never shoot for Ford again! (a breath)
I’m your agent. Tell me what to do.
CLOSE ON the wake. White water churning.
VOICE 1 (O.S.)
Sign the new kid as a client. He’s ready.
VOICE 2 (O.S.)
I won’t do it! That punk is your assistant! He’ll steal your account!
Standing on the deserted upper deck is JACK MCGUINN (27).
JACK
Tell him to hit the SUV with a fan and expose the light for the quarter panel.
Long pause.
VOICE 2 (O.S.)
Let me get a pen. I’m doing this for you. What’s the kid’s number?
JACK
I’m sure you have it.
Jack hangs up.
EXT. THE FERRY - DAY
Later. Jack’s flipping through a dog-eared photo album.
INSERT: SNAPSHOTS
- A YOUNG WOMAN plays a fiddle in a crowded, smoky bar.
- Young faces, early 20’s hamming it up to the camera. Young and wild.
VOICE (O.S.)
Either yer finishing an old album or starting a new one.
EXT. FERRY BOAT DAY - DAY
Jack looks over. A BADASS BIKER smokes. Gives a nod.
BIKER Lemme check that shit.
The biker peers closer. Jack pulls away.
BIKER (CONT’D)
It’s the slow boat, man. I’m outta weed. Either get me baked or share your pathetic tale.
JACK It’s not pathetic.
A beat. The big guy’s not buying it. Jack takes a breath:
JACK (CONT’D) Fine. Truth is I’m here --
BIKER
-- for a reunion. The old crew. Swore you’d never lose touch but whattaya gonna do? People move on. Get lame jobs. Take up golf. You know. Mainland shit.
The Biker keeps going, on a roll.
BIKER (CONT’D)
And you’re obsessed with the one that got away. Foreign chick, maybe. Artist? You want what the shrinks call “closure.” You think moping around the island like some dipshit in a Nicholas Sparks novel will help you forget that one great summer.
Jack stares.
JACK
That’s exactly right.
BIKER I know.
Jack shrugs. Guess he’s right. It’s story time.
PULL AWAY FAST from the ferry. THE COLORS BRIGHTEN and the sun comes out as we head FAST TOWARDS THE DISTANT ISLAND.
JACK (V.O.)
I can’t believe you guessed all that.
BIKER
Fat bikers can’t have insight?
THE COLORS BRIGHTEN as we head across the water towards Mackinac Island, back in time...
End of part 1
(to be continued)