Tuesday 3rd June 2003: A Touch of Fate/ a.k.a. The Chester Story Update:
"A Touch of Fate" instills a Sense of Hope

Long time Z Review writer Joseph C. Tucker had the opportunity to interview
"A Touch of Fate", a.k.a. "The Chester Story," writer/director Rebecca
Bagley-Cook over the weekend.

Rebecca Bagley-Cook graduated from Bates College with a Bachelor's degree
in English, a concentration in Creative Writing and a secondary concentration
in French. After graduating from Bates, she was selected for an internship
with Touchstone Pictures at Disney, and went from there to work at ZM
Productions as an assistant and script-reader. From there, she wrote and directed a few
short films, then in 2000 she wrote and directed her first digi-beta feature
film, "The Gypsy Years", which like "A Touch of Fate" was produced by Velveteen
Films.

Velveteen Films’ second collaboration with Cook was "A Touch of Fate"
(a.k.a. "The Chester Story"), which shot in Wilmington, NC in 2001, stars Teri
Hatcher. The film will be released in 2003 by Porchlight Entertainment.

"A Touch of Fate" takes place in a small, special town by the name of
'Chester'. To be exact, it is not the town that is so unique, but the stories
within it and most certainly, the very special people who together make the town
what it is. No, the town itself doesn't make the magic, but within its
confines are the callused hands and prideful citizens, the kids playing Saturday
soccer, and the ever-hopeful lottery winners. Last but not least, there are also a
few unsuspecting souls partnering with fate.

The film’s writer/director was kind enough to step away from her busy s
chedule to answer a few questions.

How did the story of " A Touch of Fate/ a.k.a. The Chester Story " come to
you?

"I WAS INSPIRED BY THE ROBERT ALTMAN FILM, SHORT CUTS- WHICH DEALS WITH
SEVERAL LIVES INTERTWINING. AFTER GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE, I RUINED WITH MY
FRIENDS FOR THE SAD EVENT OF A FUNERAL- OUR FRIEND HAD BEEN LOST, BUT HAVING SEEN
HIS IMPACT ON HIS FAMILY/FRIENDS, AND HIS VIEW OF THE WORLD, IT LED ME TO
REALIZING THAT HAD I NOT EXPERIENCED MY OWN LOSSES IN LIFE, I WOULD NOT BE SO APT TO
APPRECIATE OR RECOGNIZE THE SIMPLICITIES OF LIFE GIVEN TO US IN THE MOST
UNDERSTATED GIFTS. BE IT THE MOON, OR LAUGHTER. COMBINING THE INFLUENCE OF ALTMAN
WITH THIS THEORY I DEVELOPED THAT DEATH AND TRAGEDY CAN HAVE EQUAL PARTS
SADNESS AND LIFE PERSPECTIVE, I WROTE THE STORY."

What is the significance of the fictional town's name "Chester"?

"CHESTER SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD BE A PERSON, AND IN THIS FILM THE TOWN WAS AS
MUCH OF A CHARACTER AS ANYTHING ELSE- I FELT THAT "THE CHESTER STORY" IMBIBED A
SENSE OF MYSTERY- AS THOUGH THE TOWN, OR EVEN PERSON, HAD A SECRET THAT HAD
TO BE SHARED- AS THOUGH THE PLACE WERE MYSTICAL."

The consensus of the reviews written about "A Touch of Fate" is that it is a
film of love found by fate made with class. Is this what your were shooting
for with your film?

"I WAS HOPING THE FILM WOULD INSTILL A SENSE OF HOPE, A SENSE OF HOW
REFRAMING ONE'S PERSPECTIVE CAN CREATE A DIVERGENT ROAD THAN THE ONE FOLLOWED, AND
THAT LOVE CAN BE RECEIVED AND GIVEN IN VARIOUS WAYS, ON NUMEROUS LEVELS. I HOPE
THE AUDIENCE WILL FEEL A SENSE OF CALM, A WARM SENSE OF LIFE APPRECIATION WHEN
THEY SEE THE FILM. I ALSO HOPE THEY WILL LAUGH AT SOME OF THE MOMENTS THESE
CHARACTERS HAVE CREATED, WHICH WILL ENDEAR THEM TO THE AUDIENCE MORE."

Are you one to believe in fate or destiny and the notion that everything
happens for a reason?

"I DON'T BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON IN ALL CASE. I BELIEVE
THAT AT TIMES A GREAT POWER, OR PERHAPS OUR OWN HEIGHTENED POWERS ON A
SUBCONSCIOUS LEVEL, CAN CREATE MOMENTS- I BELIEVE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, EACH
SMALL THING CAN AMOUNT TO SOMETHING GREAT- AND EVEN IF THERE IS NO GRAND PLAN,
ULTIMATELY, THOSE SMALLS THINGS LINKED TOGETHER LEAD YOU DOWN THE PATH YOU ARE
MEANT TO FIND. IF YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION, HOWEVER, YOU CAN MISS THE
PATH. THIS IS ONE OF THE TOPICS I ADDRESS IN THE FILM."

What is the one concept that you want audience members to catch, learn or
think about after seeing "A Touch of Fate"?

"SECOND CHANCES, AND HOW IF WE PAY ATTENTION, WE MAY FIND GIFTS BROUGHT INTO
OUR LIVES, WHETHER ITS A PERSON OR A CIRCUMSTANCE- EAND EVEN THOUGH AT TIMES
THESE THINGS MAY NOT IMMEDIATELY BE SEEN AS A GIFT- LOOK CLOSER."

The film’s lead cast member is Teri Hatcher, from television’s Lois and
Clark. Hatcher plays Megan Margulis, who is one of the connective characters
that comes back to the town of Chester and discovers destiny in the place she
least expected.

How did Teri Hatcher become involved with the film? How was she to work
with?

"WE HAD BEEN WORKING WITH ICM ON CASTING, AND SHE CAME UP. THE PRODUCER AND I
LOVED HER FROM TWO DAYS IN THE VALLEY, AND THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE AN
INTERESTING CASTING CHOICE. SHE WAS SUCH FUN, TERI IS VERY INTELLIGENT."

Since the first time the story developed in your mind, how long has it taken
"A Touch of Fate" to come complete?

"I BEGAN WRITING THE FILM JUST AFTER COLLEGE, WHICH WAS 1995- WE FINISHED THE
FILM, IN ALL ASPECTS, IN ALL IT'S ENTIRETY, AND FINALLY IN MARCH, 2003."

What approaches have been implemented by Velveteen Films to get more "word of
mouth" going about "A Touch of Fate"?

"WE HAVE A PUBLICIST WHO WORKS WITH OUR DISTRIBUTOR, OUTRIDER PICTURES AS
WELL AS PORCHLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT, AND OF COURSE, OUR LOYAL AND CREATIVE INTERN
SCOTT WHO HAS WORKED HARD TO GET THE WORD OUT FOR THIS FILM AND EVOLVED INTO A
PART OF OUR TEAM."

Now that the film is being released in the United Kingdom, or there any other
release dates upcoming in the United States, United Kingdom, other countries,
or on DVD/VHS?

"PORCHLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT IS DOING THE DISTRIBUTION FOR OUR FOREIGN DEALS
INCLUDING THE UK, AND WE SHOULD BE RECEIVING A LIST FROM THEM SHORTLY AS TO THE
DEALS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. I KNOW THAT WE ARE ON HOME VIDEO IN GREECE! AS FOR
THE US, WE ARE BOOKING OUR 2ND THEATRICAL RELEASE FOR SOMETIME THIS SUMMER,
AND ARE HOPING IT WILL BE IN BOSTON, THEN ONE MORE IN NEW YORK. FROM THERE, OUR
DOMESTIC DISTRIBUTOR WILL MAKE OUR TELEVISION AND HOME VIDEO/DVD DEALS..."

It seems that you have your own style with drama and character driven
storytelling. Is there any other type of genre (sci-fi, horror, comedy, western,
etc.) that you would like to create or combine for future productions?

"I JUST WROTE MY FIRST TREATMENT FOR A TRUE HORROR FILM, AND IT IS SOMETHING
I AM EXCITED TO PURSUE- I WOULD LIKE TO DIG IN AND TRY MY HAND AT A COMEDY AS
WELL, WHICH TO ME, SEEMS TO BE THE MOST DEMANDING AND CHALLENGING GENRE."

What is your first piece of advice for an upcoming writer/director that is
trying his/her film made and distributed?

"THE FIRST AND HARDEST STEP IS TO RAISE THE FINANCING- IT IS A LONG PROCESS,
SO BE PREPARED TO BE IN DEVELOPMENT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THE NEXT STEP
IS TO PREPARE A BUSINESS PLAN- AN INVESTMENT PACKET WHICH GIVES THE BASICS ON
THE INDUSTRY, YOUR FILM, AND YOUR PROJECTED SALES. FROM THERE, THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING TO DO, OUTSIDE OF HAVING AN EXCELLENT SCRIPT, IS TO ATTACH A CASTING
DIRECTOR AND WORK LONG AND HARD TO ATTACH CAST THAT WILL VALIDATE YOU TO THE
DISTRIBUTORS AND OTHER PRODUCERS."

Who is an inspiration to you as a writer/director? Why? (anyone, person in
the industry or personal life)

"MY MOTHER IS MY INSPIRATION AS A PERSON- SHE'S BEEN GIVEN MANY HURDLES TO
OVERCOME IN HER HEALTH WHICH HAVE AFFECTED HER CARRER (SHE IS AN ACTRESS IN MY
FILMS !) HER PERSERVERENCE AND UNDYING FORCE OF WILL AND POSITIVE OUTLOOK ARE
SOMETHING ENTIRELY INSPIRING. MY BROTHER JACK AS WELL, WHO HAS ALSO OVERCOME
HIS OWN HURDLES TO BECOME AN AMAZING YOUNG MAN."

"I HAVE GREAT ADMIRATION FOR FILMMAKERS WHO HAVE TAKEN CHANCES- EITHER CAST
ATYPICALLY, OR TAKE ON A SUBJECT MATTER WHICH INTRINSICALLY CREATES A FINANCING
CHALLENGE. KIMBERLY PIERCE, ALLISON ANDERS, NICOLE HOLEFCENER, (WOW, THREE
WOMEN IN A ROW!) DARREN ARONOFSKY, THE POLISH BROTHERS, DAVID LYNCH: ALL
FILMMAKERS WHO WHILE THEY NOW ENJOY THE OPTIONS OF HOLLYWOOD, HAVE TOLD COURAGEOUS
AND FASCINATING STORIES WHICH REQUIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING."

What made you want to become a writer/director of films?

"IT WAS IN MY BLOOD- I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE! I WROTE MY FIRST "NOVEL" AT FOUR,
AND BY 12 I HAD BEEN ACTING AT SCHOOL AND CAMP, AND DISCOVERED THE JOY OF THE
HOME VIDEO CAMERA."

"A Touch of Fate" is now open in limited release in select cities in the
United Kingdom. As for Rebecca Bagley-Cook she is in pre-production on her third
feature from Velveteen films, "Shooting Livien".

For more information about the films, Rebecca Bagley-Cook or Velveteen
Films, select from the links below:

The Chester Story/A Touch of Fate website
http://www.thechesterstory.vze.com

Velveteen Films, Inc.
http://www.velveteenfilms.com

Porchlight Entertainment (Trailer here)
http://www.porchlight.com/movies_information.php?num=108

Sky Movies UK
http://www.skymovies.com/skymovies/article/0,,12245394,00.html

A Touch of Fate IMDB Page
http://us.imdb.com/Details?0282413