From Daily Variety, Thursday, March 28, 1996

Producer Schindler Inks First-Look Pact with Fox

Deborah Schindler, who was a producer on Fox's "Waiting to Exhale," has signed a two-year, first-look deal with the studio.

A Fox producer since 1990, Schindler until last fall was partnered with Ezra Swerdlow, with whom she developed the critically and financially successful adaptation of Terry McMillan's novel.

At Fox, Schindler will work closely with her former Columbia Pictures colleague Tom Rothman, Fox's president of production. Rothman was an exec at Columbia when Schindler served as vice president of creative affairs, East Coast. She began her career as an assistant to Martin Scorsese.

Schindler and Swerdlow will continue to develop several projects from the old Schinddler-Swerdlow development slate, including "The Falconer," from writer Elaine McCarthy. Peter Barnes adapted that project, which Agniezka Holland is attached to direct.

The Movie

From Daily Variety, Friday, May 26, 1995

'Falconer' Romanced

Producers Deborah Schindler and Ezra Swerdlow have acquired the feature film rights to "The Falconer," a yet-to-be-published romance novel by first-timer writer Elaine McCarthy for a mid-six figure sum, sources said.

Random House nabbed the book rights also this week. "The Falconer" is only about 120 pages descibed as a romantic fantasy involving a dying woman who seeks to live out her most intimate dreams. The next step is to hire a writer to adapt the book.

Fox friends

New York-based Shindler and Swerdlow have a deal with 20th Century Fox where they are currently producing the feature "Waiting to Exhale," based on the bestselling novel adapted by its author Terry McMillan.

San Diego-based Sandra Dijkstra handled the literary deal while Ron Bernstein at the Gersh Agency negotiated the feature film rights. Fox executive VP Elizabeth Gabler was also instrumental in the deal.

Beth Laski

As of June, 1998, the script has been completed, and the casting process has begun. The script is being shown to a variety of actors, though no one has been definitely attatched yet. The name 'Sean Connery' has been mentioned... Personally I suggested Sam O'Neil and Michelle Pfeiffer, but then I'm only the writer.