Sub Drama

Robert W. Welkos’ article about the controversies surrounding the Intermedia/National Geographic production of Kathryn Bigelow’s film “K-19: The Widowmaker” (‘Venturing Into Rough Seas,” March 4) is a terrific piece, but it contains an error of fact from which a troubling inference might be drawn.

The article states, “A Russian-born film producer named Inna Gotman, who had been developing a movie script by Australian screenwriter Michael Brindley about the K-19, was crying foul.”

We wrote the screenplay referred to, but not for Gotman or her company, Drawbridge. Brindley went to Moscow and St. Petersburg in 1996 and met a number of the K-19 submariners (including the captain and his deputy). Brindley and Karin Altmann co-wrote two drafts of a screenplay about the events that occurred on the ship’s maiden voyage. That screenplay was commissioned by Dale Pollock for his company, Peak Productions.

Prior to this, Gotman saw an article about the K-19 in The Times and thought the story would make a movie. Good call. She brought Russian partners to the table. Good move. For which, one assumes, she would have received credit in any film that was made. Our screenplay, however, was a Peak enterprise. Until now, we have never heard of Drawbridge.

We do not wish to be associated in any way whatever with Gotman’s actions in relation to the Intermedia film now in production.

MICHAEL BRINDLEY

KARIN ALTMANN

Melbourne, Australia