The story of an underdog
Promoter David Carver is moving to the big screen with movie about golf legend
A P.E.I. concert promoter is looking to move from the music stage to the movie screen.
David Carver, known for producing concert tours for the likes of Bon Jovi, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bob Dylan, Bryan Adams and ZZ Top, is currently developing a fulllength feature film on Canadian golf legend Moe Norman.
He’s spent the past two years on the script and now has it at a place he’s happy with. Carver is working with a Hollywood talent agency on circulating the script around for cast and director considerations.
“Truthfully, when I was a kid I always wanted to be in the entertainment business,’’ Carver said recently.
“Music is a stepping-stone and an education to pivot into the film and TV business. Back in the early days of university when I was in L.A. I was walking up Sunset Boulevard and I was just thinking ‘this is where I want to end up, in the film and TV business’.’’
He’s also developing a couple of film and TV show ideas but only one feature film – about Norman.
“Initially, I thought it was because I thought it would be a great story,’’ Carver said when asked why he chose to focus on the golfer. “He was an underdog who took on many challenges and the story in and of itself transcends golf. It’s a bigger life story than just (about) a golfer.
“There is a lot more going on in his life and in his journey which resonates in all of us.’’
Norman was a two-time Canadian amateur champion (1955, 1956) and is credited with holding 33 course records, 17 holes-in-one and winning 55 tournaments in Canada. He died in 2004 at age 75.
He has interviewed Norman’s closest friends, including longtime friend Ernie Hauser who Carver says has a slew of such amazing stories about Norman that it will make the movie that much better.
“It was unbelievable. People will see that in the film. Moe’s life, on and off the golf course, was filled with (amazing stories).’’
Carver said the movie will be very much a coming-of-age tale with triumphs, sadness, humour, redemption, feelings of isolation, conflicts with his family and the golf establishment and reconciliation with his family.
Thanks to his investors, Carver is working off a $10 million budget but would like to raise more.
He expects the movie will do well overseas, too, in markets such as China and Japan where Carver said Norman was considered the “Anne of Green Gables of golf in Asian markets’’.
As for Carver’s concert promoting days, the stage appears to have gone dark for good.
“I would say it’s probably going to be an end to the music side of the business,’’ he said. “Ideally, this film will open doors for me to develop other TV projects I have going and, possibly, other feature films.
“I still enjoy the concept of bringing shows to Atlantic Canada but I think I have to be respective of the job I’m doing now, which is to get this film out and recoup the investment and make some money for my investors. The paramount thing (however) is to tell a great story.’’