Again, Goliath – The Testament of an Old Man
A True Generational Story – Sheldon R. Stone (Goldstine) © 2022
Docudrama Screenplay registered with the U.S. Copyright Office
A true story where antisemitism had prevailed over the architectural profession's needed management innovations. As a result, the profession has lost much of its managerial authority and near 50% of its historic market share. Building designs continue to not adequately consider clients' short-, medium-, and long-term strategic goals. Occupants of these buildings remain constrained in their ability to communicate, imagine, and innovate. This stagnation ripples through society, undeniably undermining the American economy.
Again, Goliath vividly portrays the struggles and triumphs of my journey from boyhood to adulthood. It delves into the broader implications for the architectural profession and the national economy. This true story transcends overcoming antisemitism and personal adversity; it chronicles my solitary challenge against the entire architectural establishment, including my invited Congressional testimony for the betterment of society.
All money raised through this "Flat Rate" all-or-nothing crowdfunding offering shall be considered as a "gift" since this campaign is focused on donations for my personal use to develop a generationally important movie with no expectation of financial return to the crowd funders. Please read on to consider the national social and economic importance of this successful movie production and distribution.
All crowd funders shall be solely responsible to meet all SEC rules, regulations and filing requirements. All crowd funders should meet criteria established for accredited investors. Again, this campaign clearly states no rewards will be offered and all donations are purely based on supporting the project without expectation of any financial gain in return.
Goal to raise $5,000,000 (SEC yearly max) this year to help encourage established movie industry professionals and to help produce the movie. As a movie industry outsider have learned that money talks to move movie forward. $250,000 of such for my personal use and to include focus on the growth and development of movie contacts, agents and to earn established movie industry participation. Since I’m 75 years old this is my last major social contribution. Highly dedicated to achieve this film development success. The remainder of the funds raised less crowd funding platform fees and payment provider fees to be left in a separate account exclusively for movie development. Plan to involve my attorney to properly negotiate developments.
THE BACK STORY – Again, Goliath synopsis, keywords and loglines to follow:
For $5,000,000 need to explain the potential social and national economic benefits of your contributions.
Every generation or so there’s a true story that could make a major social and economic contribution. This true story would significantly help to improve the architectural profession, add trillions of dollars of potential to our national economy, reduce antisemitism on our university campuses and encourage university administrators to become more cognizant of their responsibilities to protect their Jewish students.
I know a lot, but please read on.
A couple of years ago, I was invited to join a mastermind group with members from the United States and Canada. During my deep-dive presentations, I discussed my previously published novel and the true story behind my screenplay Again, Goliath. When I sought financial and other forms of support, the mastermind members suggested I approach the Jewish community. While I agreed, I cautioned that securing Jewish support for my movie would not be an easy task.
In 1979, during my efforts to combat antisemitism, I was invited to testify before a U.S. Congressional Committee. Despite my significant national interest and publication prior to and from this testimony, instead of gaining support from Jewish leadership, I encountered the opposite reaction. It seemed that the Jewish community preferred handling these matters privately, unlike my very public approach. Additionally, a former employer noted that some in the Jewish real estate industry viewed me as a potential competitor.
The lack of support from Jewish leadership for my efforts as a young man standing up against antisemitism may have contributed to the situation we find ourselves in today. This experience likely influenced my decision, after moving to Phoenix, AZ in 2010, to attend a nondenominational church in Scottsdale for about eight years, where I also participated in group Bible studies.
Saw an angel as a young boy that saved my life. This profound experience could be part of my life’s purpose—to share this true story.
My spirit has always remained the same – to help people and make positive social contributions. My support for Israel and the Jewish people has always remained strong.
About 15 years ago I coauthored the self-published novel GateKEEPERS based on my true story with a respected Jewish professor (deceased), formerly with the University of Michigan. Available on amazon and other international retail websites. The professor had survived Nazi Germany during the Holocaust and vowed never to be a coward and never to be silent. In that regard, he “freely” agreed to coauthor our novel GateKEEPERS. Based on his life experiences in Hitler’s Nazi Germany believed there are some stories about antisemitism that must be told. Some publishers suggested the nonfiction true story. The attached Again, Goliath screenplay’s synopsis is solely based on my true story. Full draft screenplay available and have full documentation to validate the true story. It’s the foundation for the producer, director and professional screenwriter.
Again, Goliath represents an opportunity today to level the playing field and address the PR challenges faced by Israel and the Jewish people. Hope to significantly change the conversation. A true generational story that serves as a powerful testament to the impact of antisemitism and the importance of sharing such narratives. It took immense courage and strength to confront historical injustices and hope to ensure that they are not forgotten.
Remember history is shaped by those who dare to speak out, challenge norms, and create change. Just need some help to move this story forward. A couple years ago had hired a well-known character actor (movies and TV) to help. Exclusively for my movie, I had raised the opportunity for $5M to $15M in accredited investor financing. To my chagrin, when I shared the accredited investor’s application, the retained character actor submitted his movie instead of mine. A difficult but good learning experience.
Full synopsis shown below keywords and loglines:
Again, Goliath Keywords:
Antisemitism over innovation
Three-dimensional chess
U.S. Congressional Committee
American Institute of Architects (AIA)
Architectural profession’s near 50% loss of direct traditional markets and managerial authority
Loglines: In 1975 Columbus, Ohio, a determined young brilliant Jewish architect battles the entrenched architectural establishment’s antisemitism and resistance to change armed with business acumen and architectural expertise. As they conspire to silence him, he plays three-dimensional chess, drawing on resilience, courage, and a lifetime of overcoming odds. His ultimate move? His invited testimony before a U.S. Congressional Committee, challenging their corruption and antisemitism. But victory in the initial battle is just the prelude – the true war awaits. As the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its cronies dismiss warnings about the profession’s survival, he exposes critical gaps in architectural education and practice that has cost the profession half its national markets and managerial authority.
A docudrama – possibly similar to The Fountainhead with a true story variation and antisemitism on steroids. A true one-in-a-million story about one young Jewish man who stood alone against the architectural profession’s highest leadership’s antisemitism and resistance to change. A movie is reminiscent of The Fountainhead, Jason Bourne, Divergent and Tucker: The Man and His Dream.
Synopsis
Again, Goliath – The Testament of an Old Man
A True Story – Sheldon R. Stone (Goldstine) © 2022
For screenplay registered with the U.S. Copyright Office
It wasn’t 1933 Germany. It was 1975 Columbus, Ohio, USA. A young architect who happened to be Jewish was about to begin his career with dreams of making a difference. He was dedicated and a hard worker, not unlike his architect peers except he had completed two six-year university programs that included separate master’s in business administration and architecture in eight years while he had worked two-years full time for architects, summers and some doing his university years.
Unfortunately for this young Jewish architect the highest levels of the architectural establishment learned about his grad architecture degree research to combine his business and architectural knowledge. Months before, the Dober report provided to the national Washington, D.C. office of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) warned unless the profession adapted to their clients’ business management expectations they would turn to others. The establishment’s corruption and incompetence resulted in their rejection of Dober. And, for sure when they learned about this young Jewish architect’s research, they planned to stop him. Most important they refused to let a Jew, even though one of the most highly educated young architects in the country, be the messenger. First, they stopped his research.
However, while his adversaries played checkers this young architect played three-dimensional chess. He had learned about dealing with anti-Semites not yet five years old and pre-kindergarten. In high school he was the smallest heavy-weight wrestler in Cleveland and gained confidence and courage wrestling young men 60 to 80 pounds heavier and beating a few. Never giving up no matter the insurmountable odds. He had also received individual Army Green Beret self-defense training by one of his dad’s customers and studied boxing at the Ohio State University. All that mattered to him led to his invitation to provide testimony before a U.S. Congressional Committee.
A few days after this young Jewish architect received his Master of Architecture degree, he returned to the Ohio State University campus to turn in grades for a graduate architecture class he had taught – his hotel room window was broken into during the middle-of-the-night. He knew how to defend himself and was not hurt but the sky-masked intruder was. Likely a planned hit.
The architectural profession’s leadership proceeded to psychologically harass and distract. To single him out and stop this young Jewish architect the establishment destroyed his license examination files in violation of Ohio law; and, even successfully and corruptly lobbied the Ohio legislature to change a law as an emergency measure specifically accomplished to stop him from entering the profession. The changed law only affected one person Sheldon Goldstine; and, accomplished to prejudice his case before the Ohio Supreme Court.
However,
the architectural establishment soon after didn’t expect Goldstine to
be invited to testify before a U.S. Congressional Committee. Three
months after his testimony, before taking the national exam for the
fourth time, Sheldon met with the Director of the Ohio State
University Department of Architecture. The Director of Japanese
descent didn’t want to discuss the exam. Instead, to justify his
knowledge of prejudice, told his personal story when he and his family
had been imprisoned in a WWII American Japanese internment camp. He
then bravely explained that antisemitism was the reason for Sheldon’s
licensing problems.
Publicly exposed during Sheldon’s Congressional testimony, with the profession’s antisemitism temporarily halted, provided enough time for Goldstine to pass their national architect licensing exam – as the architecture Director had guaranteed. Sheldon had one of the higher national scores. However, the profession continued their efforts to prevent Sheldon’s opportunities to promulgate innovations that would so greatly benefit the architectural profession, our national economy and society.
Encouraged by other architects who had been damaged by the profession’s corruption and ineptitude, this young Jewish architect accepted a national herculean role to challenge the establishment. The mission impossible battle was won, but the longer conflict was about to begin.
Shortly before, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) national Washington, D.C. office influenced the Ohio State University Department of Architecture to stop Goldstine’s grad architecture degree research; the AIA had retained Dober, Paddock, Upton and Associates to prepare a management consulting report on design-build contractors. Dober had presented serious warnings about the profession’s survival in relation to the growth of design-build contractors. The AIA leadership didn’t believe Dober. They simply (ignorantly) believed Dober didn’t understand the architectural profession. Sheldon’s research and educational background mirrored the Dober report findings.
A portion of the 1974 Dober report – two items that represent the report’s theme shown below.
- Page 1: “There is considerable evidence to suggest that the clients who once automatically turned to architects are now turning to others, and claim in general terms that architects do not understand clients’ problems and furthermore are unequipped to deal with them. The trend is not restricted to those clients who have turned to package dealers, but extends to those who have turned to a variety of other sources for assistance.”
- Page 4 and 5: “Neither the architectural schools, nor the registration examination, nor licensing requirements typically require the architect to have an understanding of systems analysis, project management, social and behavioral theory, financial management and analysis, or business organization theory. Yet all these subjects have a firm theoretical and practical basis, and all are a part of the total process of constructing physical facilities.”
The architectural profession refused to adapt to clients’
expectations to obtain a comprehensive business management education
and more so implementation in practice. Today, design-build
contactors control near 50 percent of the new construction market (and
growing) where they employ in-house architects or hire them as
subcontractors.
Sheldon went on to win an architectural national gold medal, a fellowship, coauthored the Site Selection Guide for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA); and, was an invited speaker before a United Nations endorsed CIB at their international Hong Kong symposium (December 2004).
Everything Goldstine had believed was possibly became impossible. But to achieve the American dream there are odds one needs to conquer.
Thank you,
Sheldon Stone (Goldstine), FARA, M.Arch, MBA
After earning four university degrees, including two master's, and two years of experience in architectural offices while completing my MBA, I set off on a cross-country job search armed with A+ recommendations. My journey took me through Cleveland, Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, where I interviewed at 17 architectural firms. Only two Jewish owned firms - one in Chicago and another in Cleveland - showed genuine interest and extended job offers.
My U.S. Congressional invited September 24, 1979 testimony concerned The Truth in Testing Act of 1979; The Educational Testing Act of 1979. Available through the Library of Congress and other research sources. I have copies of my invitation and testimony.
https://books.google.com/books?id=3_BgHSPKYCgC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education of the Committee on Education and Labor – United States House of Representatives –Ninety-Sixth Congress – Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education and Labor, Washington. D.C.
-------------------------
Invited speaker and presented my paper to the United Nations endorsed International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) W70 2004 Hong Kong Symposium “The Human Elements of Facilities Management – Understanding the needs of the customers.” Paper titled “The Organization Behavior Component of Facilities Management – Becoming Part of the Business Process.”
The paper is included on the Fraunhofer IRB website. Fraunhofer IRB is Germany’s central facility for national and international knowledge transfer in planning and building. The Fraunhofer IRB website states that they include papers “mainly from German speaking countries.” Therefore, as an American, I took this as an honor.
https://www.irbnet.de/daten/iconda/06089015784.pdf
