"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of streaming films and entertainment news.
Out of the gate, I will tell you up front that Galaxy Quest (1999) is one of my
favorite movies of all time. At its core, it’s about the intense love of fans
for an entertainment property – in this case, a Sci-Fi television show that
was, perhaps, cancelled too soon.
Sure there’s your typical space exploration saga trappings
familiar to the genre pioneered by Gene Roddenberry (1921-1991) with his
ground-breaking series Star Trek
(1966-1969). Of course, there have been so many incarnations of his vision
since then. I’ve long been a fan – perhaps not to the degree of dubbing myself
a ‘Trekkie’ (or ‘Trekker’), but the show and its universe holds a very special
place in my heart. In fact, I’ve been rather heartbroken that I haven’t been
able to watch the new Star Trek:
Discovery (2017-) yet…but I digress.
Galaxy Quest was a
spoof that poked at the behind the scenes of such shows and brought us the idea
of ‘what if beings far outside our corner of the universe watched some of our
stuff and misunderstood’ long before Pixels
(2015) brought that concept (albeit in a different framework) to the big
screen. It was funny and a labor of love done by fans, and for fans.
I’m getting to the point, I promise. This isn’t solely a
love-letter about the movie.
Back in 2015, Deadline
reported that Paramount announced that it was working on bringing the beloved
movie to the small screen for a TV Series. Original writer, director, and
producers were on board with this concept.
This had me super excited – especially with rumors flying
that they were working on bringing in the original movie cast. I may or may not
have mentioned before that I am not the biggest fan of Tim Allen (Wild Hogs, Toy Story of Terror, Last Man
Standing) – mostly due to being burned out on his grunting from the Home Improvement (1991-1999) era – but I
really enjoyed him in his Galaxy Quest role.
Unfortunately, with the passing of legend Alan Rickman (CBGB, Lee Daniels' The Butler, Eye in the
Skye) in 2016, amongst other casting issues, it seemed that this series
would get shelved.
Not so.
Flash-forward to mid-August 2017. Deadline,
once again, was in the lead reporting that this series still had a pulse when
they announced Paul Scheer (Filthy,
NTSF:SD:SUV, The League) was going to be taking over the writing. One of
the original producers, at least, is still noted to be involved with the
project; but beyond that, little is known about casting choices or even plot
direction.
“Without giving much away, I don’t think there has ever been
a better time to continue the Galaxy Quest story with the explosion and
popularity of sci-fi films in recent years,” Scheer said. “To be able to create
and be a part of this world is just mind-blowing, and I’m approaching this
truly as what I’d like to see as a fan.”
They’re doing this without Rickman?
While Allen seems to have some of his production schedule
lightened with the ending of his most recent show, it’s unclear if they’d be
able to bring in Sigourney Weaver (The
Cabin in the Woods, Chappie, The Defenders); considering her involvement in
the filming of multiple movies on Pandora and future entanglements with
xenomorphs, she seems pretty busy.
I just don’t know. I think I would really need to get some
more concrete details about the framework of the show before I can make my
final decision as to whether or not I want to watch it. I am really trying to
be open-minded here; but outside of replacing the cast (which seems heinously
disrespectful) or writing in sad character exits to explain away those that don’t
return, I don’t see it working as a concept.
Maybe the aliens at the center of the misunderstanding in
the movie might go around the galaxy kidnapping other crews? It doesn’t seem
like it would have the same punch. The whole thing was centered on those
specific actors from that specific show and the very specific starship built
based on the series.
Switching gears a little here, I feel it’s only fair to
mention that I think the comparisons between Galaxy Quest and its potential
series and Seth MacFarlane’s (Ted, A
Million Ways to Die in the West, Family Guy) series The Orville (2017-) are off base.
Sure, they’re both Star-Trek-like
comedies with an occasionally cheesy ship captain and a crew rich in diversity –
but that’s where the similarity stops. In my mind, The Orville runs parallel to the Trek series – showing a lighter take on the genre. Galaxy Quest had that fan and actor
interaction, such as Allen’s character’s interaction with Justin Long (Planet 51, Yoga Hosers, Ghost Team) in
his big screen debut. The journey of growth the actor characters go through
between being ‘so over’ their old roles but chugging along in an effort to keep
their bills paid, and where they end up at the end of the story wouldn’t be the
same without that element.
Unless MacFarlane is planning some huge 4th-wall
break down the line to take the show into that territory, they’re nowhere near
close. I seriously doubt he would do that, considering he’s gone on record to
say that Galaxy Quest was not an
inspiration for his show, and he’d only watched the movie once. Don’t get me
wrong, though, I like The Orville and have enjoyed watching that series
immensely. I just have seen too many references to both shows in the same
breath that it needed addressing.
If you’re a fan of the movie, keep your eyes peeled for
future developments. I can assure you I’ll be glued to the entertainment news
feeds, myself. Hopefully, Paramount and Amazon won’t tarnish such a stellar
story. (Or we might have to set loose the child-like aliens!)
For a little lagniappe, here's the original trailer for the Galaxy Quest Movie.
But
I Digress... is a weekly column for trustthedice.com that can't be
pinned down to just one thing. It's our celebration of tangents,
random references, and general fan geekdom that both intertwines with,
revolves around, and diverges from our movie-review core. In homage to
the beloved Brit comedians, we want to bring you something completely
different!
Blurb from Netflix:
Goons kidnap Bablu after he helps his friend run away with a powerful man’s
daughter. While he’s held captive, he falls for the girl’s younger sister.
Selina’s Point of View:
Whenever I watch a Bollywood film from this era, I wonder if
the entire genre was just really enthralled with late 80s, or early 90s,
American films. There are so many aspects of this film that remind me of
various movies I saw in my childhood.
The whole feel of the film, including that music video
during the credits, was very early 90s action-romance. If it was in English, I’d
have guessed it was made in 1992.
That said, there were some good things about Heropanti and some not-so-great things.
I have to start with a technical issue I had.
There was a sound problem, early in the film. At first, I
thought it might be the way my TV was handling the type of music used for the
fight scenes. I paused the film and tested my speakers against other similar
music. It all came out fine. I then asked a few people to load up the film to
the appropriate time stamp and they all had the same issue.
I don’t think it was done as an artistic choice. Around the 15-minute
mark, there’s some music that sounds like it’s being played off of a worn-out
VHS tape. The sound skips a little and gets fuzzy, the way it tends to do when
you listen to something with harsh bass on bad headphones.
I reported it to Netflix.
I also didn’t like the positioning of some of the musical
numbers. A couple of times it seemed to come absolutely out of nowhere, but I think
that may be an issue I have with the entire genre… so I don’t hold it against
this particular film.
On a good note, there were some visually stunning scenes,
the acting was decent, and I found myself liking characters I wouldn’t normally
like. The antagonist even managed to pull at my heartstrings a little and, considering
some of the heinous things he was threatening, that’s a bit of a feat.
Despite the length of the film, which was significant, I did
manage to enjoy it. It didn’t even feel all that long. If you’re a fan of Bollywood,
give it a shot.
Cat’s Point of View:
I’ll admit that I wasn’t entirely thrilled to watch this
movie today. My mood wasn’t ideal, to be honest. I do really try to keep an
open mind even when I’m feeling meh. Surprisingly, however, this film won me
over, anyway.
Somewhere along the line I forgot I was even reading
subtitles – that’s a sign that a foreign film has hooked me. We’re not even
going to talk about the tears towards the end – these were not the feels you
were looking for. I have allergies, ok?! Fine. It was emotional.
This movie was a bit like they threw an action martial arts
flick in a blender with the story of Romeo
and Juliet. It worked in the oddest and yet most satisfying way.
When I say action movie – we’re talking some seriously
crazy-good fight sequences. There were chase scenes and parkour…the works!
There was a lack of explosions, but I don’t think anything that drastic would
have been remotely called for so it wasn’t missed.
This film was the debut for the lead, Tiger Shroff (Baaghi, The Flying Jatt, Munna Michael).
It’s said that he trained for three whole years to prepare for this role, and I
believe it. He performed all his own stunts, and let me tell you that some of
them had my jaw on the floor.
Some of the dialogue was a little cheesy, but that’s
something I’ve come to expect from Bollywood movies of this nature. I’m not
quite sure what the snow theme is all about – there was a similar sequence in
the movie Krrish (2006) that I’d
previously reviewed. I’m not sure if it’s something with thematic symbolism or
a cultural thing, or if someone just thought it looked cool. It was a little
odd in the middle of the movie, but hey – overall, it worked.
What it boils down to is that this film is a solid offering
in the Bollywood genre with a heartfelt story, some comedic elements, romance,
and a heavy dose of action well worth the nearly two and a half hours of view-time.
Languages
Speech Available:
Hindi
Subtitles Available:
English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, Spanish
Production Companies:
Hartbeat Productions, Universal Pictures
Producer: Dave
Becky, Dwayne L. Brown, Nichole Celistan, Jeff Clanagan, Kevin Hart, Blake
Morrison, Dana Riddick, Valerie Bleth Sharp, Pookey Wigington, Candice Wilson
Director: Leslie
Small, Tim Story
Writer: Kevin
Hart, Joey Wells, Harry Ratchford, Brian Buccellato
Actors: Kevin
Hart, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Ed Helms, David Meunier, Joey Wells
Stunt Doubles: Ben
Jenkin, Bethany Levy, Jalil Jay Lynch, Samuel J. Paul
Blurb from Netflix:
Frenetic comic Kevin Hart hits Philadelphia and dishes on suburban wildlife,
jean shorts and the fine art of getting even with a 7-year-old.
Selina’s Point of View:
I love, love, LOVE me some Kevin Hart (The Upside, Top Five, Central intelligence).
When I turn on a Kevin Hart special, I expect nothing less
than awesome hilarity. That’s a good thing, because I never get any less than
that. I always laugh, I’m always amused, and it’s always either relatable or so
unrelatable that it’s even better.
Although I love comedy that borders on the political aspects
of the world, like what you get from Lewis Black or George Carlin, Kevin Hart
offers that bit of ridiculousness that lets you forget the big issues for a
little while. We all need a break sometimes… and he’s always good for it.
There was a high-quality skit before the stand-up, it
continued after the show was over. I think it was kind of unnecessary, but it
wasn’t without merit. Just a little something extra for people who didn’t get
to see the show live, I guess. I enjoyed it, but it might not be for everyone.
Where the stand-up is concerned, though, Hart was on point.
At one point he mentioned being creeped out by raccoons. I
couldn’t laugh too hard at that, because I have my own animal kingdom creep-out
issue. I hate kangaroos. I don’t find them cute. I’m fucking terrified of them.
They’re like aliens, with their creepy limb-like tails and strange muscle-y
nature. Ugh.
Cat’s Point of View:
I can’t tell you how excited I was when we landed on this
comedy special as this mid-week review. I really enjoyed the last Kevin Hart (9mm, Get Hard, The Secret Life of Pets)
show we watched, and I enjoy him in movies so, I figured this was going to be a
shoe-in for a good time.
Hilarity ensued.
Upfront, I’ve got to say that I’m glad I didn’t try to watch
this while my daughter was around. This special has some decidedly adult
content in it – though, that’s not anything shocking or unheard of for a
stand-up show. I remember not being allowed to watch Comedy Central, even when
we didn’t have cable. My mom was just covering all the bases.
In any case, this was quite a different experience from the
last Kevin Hart special we reviewed. I enjoyed the cinematic opening to the
show. It paid homage to several movies while at the same time setting the
proverbial stage for what was to come with some funny moments including cameo
guests.
When it got to his Philadelphia show in the sold-out
football stadium, things focused down to just Hart on stage doing what he does
best – making fun of himself a lot. Of course, there was more to his act than
just poking fun at himself.
Some of it walked right at the edge of taste but he
pulled it off so that it wasn’t awkward at all. Some of his material didn’t put
him in a very good light – but you can bet I was still laughing. I just
couldn’t help it. It was funny.
We’re talking topics that REALLY shouldn’t be joked about –
and yet he did, and I’ll be damned if it wasn’t hilarious. I’m just saying.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this comedy special to
anyone that enjoys this skilled comedian – and hey the action elements involved
were actually pretty well done.
Production Companies:
Kid Noir Productions, Mighty Engine, Related Pictures
Producer: Cary
Fukunaga, Wyatt Gatling, Gary Gilbert, Jared Goldman, Jordan Horowitz, Ken H.
Keller, Rosemary Lombard, Caron Rudner, Rose Troche
Director: Rob
Meyer
Writer: Annie J.
Howell
Actors: Melanie
Lynskey, Nelsan Ellis, Armani Jackson, Oona Laurence, Janeane Garofalo, Christine
Taylor, Miranda McKeon, Maliq Johnson, Nadia Dajani, Veanne Cox, David Ebert,
Will Janowitz, Julie Hays, Dierdre Friel, Christian Whelan, Gabriel Rush, Mark
Gessner, Jabari Gray, Yasha Jackson, Eric Charles
Stunt Doubles: None
Blurb from Netflix:
After moving from New York City to a small town in Washington state, an
interracial couple and their preteen son struggle to adjust to their new life.
Selina’s Point of View:
Little Boxes was a
relatively interesting peek into the life of an interracial family looking to
move their life into a town smaller than they’re used to. It’s a film that
touches on racism, classism, paranoia, and gender roles. It actually went into
a lot more than I thought it would.
From the trailer, I was expecting to see a lot of overt
racism, but that’s not what I got. It touched more on the subtle side of
things. Those things that a person might roll their eyes at but not immediately
consider damaging. It then showed how that perspective damages a person, a
family or a reputation more than you might have initially believed.
I live in New York, and my husband and I have been talking
about moving to a smaller town to raise our daughter. Clearly, we don’t have to
face a lot of the issues the family in this film does, but watching Little Boxes has still made me aware of
the research that goes into more than just a house when you move.
I enjoyed the film.
There were a few minor cringe-filled moments that had me
looking away from the screen, but I did my best to plow through them. In the
end, it was worth.
Cat’s Point of View:
I remember coming across the trailer for this movie as I was
putting together my list for this past April’s Top 20 movie recommendations. I
can’t remember why this didn’t make the cut of my final list, but I do know
that it was in contention for a good bit. Let’s just call it an honorable
mention, now that we’ve gotten a chance to watch it.
I remember that I thought the story looked compelling and
certainly relevant. It definitely delivered on that.
The pairing of Melanie Lynskey (Digging for Fire, Togetherness, 1 Mile to You) and the late Nelsan
Ellis (Secretariat, Get on Up, Elementary)
was magic. It’s a bit of a bittersweet note for me, considering Ellis passed
back in July – just a handful of months after this movie released.
It was an odd feeling to both relate to the kid in this
movie and his parents.
I moved a few times when I was young. While I only went at
most one state away, or even just across the same state, there are always
similarities in the experience even when going cross-country isn’t involved. I
can only imagine adding culture shock into the mix would be absolutely
horrifying. As it was, being the new kid and trying to figure out how to fit in
is the universal plight of the relocated. I feel like Armani Jackson (Cooties, Grey's Anatomy, The Last Witch
Hunter) did a bang-up job with his quest for acceptance in the new town.
While the story of young Clark Burns definitely struck a
nerve with me, I found myself drawn to his parents. I appreciated the parallels
and contrasts between what the young boy was going through and their own
adjustments.
All told, I definitely enjoyed this movie. I feel like the
film delivered on the promise its trailer made – providing moments of laughter
and cringe rolled up in a well thought out family drama. I wouldn’t hesitate to
recommend this one.
Languages
Speech Available:
English
Subtitles Available:
English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, Spanish
Through “This Week in Crowdfunding,” you’ll find five of the
best projects Trust the Dice found hosted on crowdfunding sights this week.
These are Films/Web Series’/Shows of varying lengths and genres that we believe
in. If you like any of the projects you see here, donate to them, tell your
friends, and/or post it on social media.
These projects don’t just need money, they need people to
care and spread the word that they exist.
Support creativity. Support indie artists.
Remember that every actor, director, writer, and movie you
have ever fallen in love with had to start somewhere.
Trust the Dice does not, and will not, accept payment from project
creators for
appearance on this list. Projects are chosen solely on the merit of the
idea,
proposal, and people involved.
5 – Grayscale
Crowdsource Platform:
Indiegogo
Director: Nicole
Sim Bao Ling
Writer: Nicole
Sim Bao Ling
Other Staff: Natalie
Balderas, Brielle Biscocho, David Benjamin, Nathan Baldonado, Michelle Cessna
Amount Requested:
$2,000
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $415 raised by 25 backers.
This project has a very interesting plot. A world with no
color allowed, where people are all forced to be exactly the same. The main character
falls into some paint and winds up all different colors.
There are a lot of projects that offer people looking to be
themselves something to hold on to. An idea that no matter how different they
are, they’re not alone in wanting to be allowed to be their particular version
of different.
Grayscale is a
dystopian story with a lot to offer. The page is also laid out incredibly well.
There’s no question as to where your money’s going or what the people involved
are capable of. You even get to see some interesting storyboards in their
trailer.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$5 – Thank you! – We thank you for your support! It means a great deal to us, really.
Every dollar counts.
Highest Fund Reward:
$500 – Executive Producer Credit! – You are the bomb dot com. Thank you so much
for your generous contribution! * Please note that we do not provide
transportation and/or lodging.
4 – Relapse
Crowdsource Platform:
Indiegogo
Director: Karl
Jackson, Ambreen Razia
Writer: Karl
Jackson, Ambreen Razia
Other Staff: No
names available at this time
Amount Requested:
$3,924
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $4,192 raised by 44 backers.
I studied Criminology and Sociology
in university. Naturally, a dramatic film focusing on the rate of recidivism in
the UK caught my attention rather quickly.
The prison system
isn’t just about locking away criminals, it’s about rehabilitating people who
have the capability to be better. A lot of people committing crimes do so out
of ignorance or because they just don’t have access to other options in their
life. When a person like that is convicted, prison is supposed to sort them out
so that they can come back to the world and be functioning members of society.
Unfortunately, that’s
not really how it tends to go.
The creators of
this film, Karl Jackson and Ambreen Razia, made this film from their own
personal knowledge. They’ve seen people have to try to readjust after being
released, and they know exactly the kind of challenges those people can face.
Furthermore, they want to hold a mirror up to society as they put things in
perspective.
“We both have loved
ones within our own lives who have been a part of the prison system, and upon
release disillusioned with the systems efforts to help them rehabilitate, which
is essentially the catalyst for re-offending. Having facilitated workshops in
schools, PRU’S and prisons you become exposed to more complex human stories.
It’s easy for us to disregard that section of society, especially when you feel
that it’s got 'nothing to do with you' through our work we're trying to remind
people that prisons are a close reflection of certain people's reality. And
that the state of our prisons holds a mirror up to the state of our society and
we want to look at that.”
Since this project
was chosen for our top five, it has reached its goal.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$13 – Password & Film Credit – See the film before it’s released to the
public via special password-protected link, and have your name immortalized in
the credits!
Highest Fund Reward:
$1,308 – Executive Producer! – Legendary status!
3 – Come, Said
the Night
Crowdsource Platform:
Indiegogo
Director: Andres
Rovira
Writer: Andres
Rovira
Other Staff: Madeline
Berger, James Edmund Datri, Colby Reed Miller, Ali Kazzaz, Amy Geist, Lew
Temple, Nicole Sherman, Tate Birchmore, Max Page
Amount Requested:
$50,000
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $1,425 raised by 25 backers.
Come, Said the Night
is not your typical crowdfunded horror film. The plot runs a lot more in depth
than a lot of the projects I come across. Normally, that would already be eye
catching – but in this case, you have the added difficulty of working with
children.
A lot of directors do believe that working with children can
be difficult, especially when there’s some kind of mature content. There are
some that won’t even attempt it. In this case, Andres Rovira explained a very different
view to Trust the Dice.
“I enjoy working with child actors because they are still at
that age where acting is a sort of backyard playtime which leads to a more
honest performance. They don’t put on a theatrical song and dance for the
audience, rather, treat it like they are method acting as cowboys and Indians
and this, I find, is where some of the most natural performances comes from. In
the case of our 13-year-old lead, she’s an incredibly well versed and mature
actress for her age who knows the script better than I do, so I have no doubt
she will handle the mature topics like a pro.”
His argument is a good one, and even makes me want to
rethink the way I see child actors.
Come, Said the Night
utilizes their child actors to tell a grown-up tale. It’s a horror that is
meant to keep you on the edge of your seat right up until the end.
Everything Rovira seems to believe about horror films leads
me to understand that his project will benefit from the love he shows in the
genre. Even his use of the gorgon known in Greek mythology shows an innate
understanding of fear and what best heightens it.
“The Gorgon is a combination of Greek mythology’s version
but with my own modern twist. For example, the most popular Gorgon, Medusa, is
well known for the snakes in her hair. I wanted to avoid the familiarity of
this imagery because to me, fear of the unknown is the greatest fear. My
approach to scaring audiences is to bring to life what scares me and I’ve
always been disturbed by Bubonic plague doctors and masquerade masks. It’s that
long beak-like shape that if caught at the right light and focus, will stay
with you. With this new interpretation of the Gorgon, I want to create
something iconic that will be remembered.”
Clearly, this is not a project to be missed.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$5 – The Hum – You’ve heard the Gorgon’s hum. She has you now. As an inductee
of the night, we will send you a personal welcome email, an official shoutout
on our social media pages and access to all the behind the scenes updates. You
are part of this thing now. No turning back.
Highest Fund Reward:
$4,500 – The Never Forget – Receive a poster signed by the full cast, and a
thank you video from the cast to you! +1 day on the set, attend the wrap party,
1 ticket to the world premier (food/travel $ not included), and yes, an associate
producer credit! We’ll never forget your contribution to our film, and with all
this you’ll never forget this amazing experience.
2 – Sober and
Stoked
Crowdsource Platform:
Indiegogo
Director: Scott
French, Eugene Stiltner
Writer: Scott
French, Eugene Stiltner
Other Staff: Tyler
Valliant, Jenni Carney
Amount Requested:
$50,000
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $4,657 raised by 48 backers.
This project looks like incredible fun backed with an
important message.
Drugs and alcohol affect a lot of people – if not directly,
then through someone they love. Addiction is no joke, and what’s worse is that
there’s not often a way to help people who have succumbed to it. Not unless
they want to help themselves.
I’ve seen a lot of addicts get pushed to clean up by people
they love, and they ask what the point is. Why should they bother?
This film answers that question very simply. It states that the
point is to live, to have fun, and to move on.
Getting clean is a huge step for any addict, and the
creators of this project are very familiar with that. Together they fell to
their darkest, but they were also reborn – phoenixes from the ash.
For a lot of people, getting clean might very well mean
leaving behind all those friends that they once hung out with. Mainly because
those friends might not ready to pick themselves up yet. A recovering addict can’t
be around the same activities and substances that once dragged them down. Scott
French and Eugene Stiltner were very lucky. Trust the Dice spoke to Stiltner
and asked him about how he and French kicked their habits.
“I got sober a year before Scotty, and during that year I
stayed pretty low key. When he had everything go down with him and he had his
chance at getting sober, we were fortunate to reconnect and start surfing and
riding together again. We always push each other hard when we ride or surf,
just like we did partying, and now we get to do that in a way that actually has
a positive impact instead of a negative one!”
That was the birth of their understanding on how the best
things in life could substitute those things that hade once held them hostage.
Sober and Stoked
is an important project, not only for recovering addicts but for the people who
love and want to help them as well. If someone is helping a friend recover,
they need to understand that their friend can’t just go back to the same habits
they once had. Breaking a habit means breaking all habits that could lead to
it.
Stiltner offered some advice to our readers.
“If you have to change friends, even if you have to stop
talking to family for a while until you get your footing, you have to do it. These
are the hard decisions in sobriety. You must remember that it is your life,
your freedom, your health on the line. If others can’t be supportive, you must
do whatever is necessary to not drink or use. For people who are trying to
support someone in recovery, go to a coffee shop! Go for a walk. Go to a movie. Go do whatever, and please, please, please,
don’t have a cocktail, joint, line right in front of them while you do it!!”
This film has the potential to help thousands of people,
because it’s made by people that understand. No other creators could tell the
story as reliably as they will.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$5 – Social shout out! – Ok, it’s not a marquee or anything, but you will get a
social media shout out from us as a thank you for contributing! Every dollar
helps, and we are super grateful for it!
Highest Fund Reward:
$10,000 – Presenting Sponsor – The big fish presenting sponsor of the film! If
you are a brand looking to get exposure to an exciting market of people who are
embracing a positive and active lifestyle, this is the place for you! Gain
positive PR in the fight against addiction and create a loyal base of
supporters in the process. Contact us for details!
1 – Tales from
the Edge
Crowdsource Platform:
Kickstarter
Director: Ben
Adams, Andrew Shire, David Spearing
Writer: Ben
Adams, Andrew Shire, David Spearing
Other Staff: Raffaele
Nocerino, Michael Macdermid, Steve Curtis, Charlotte Knight
Amount Requested:
$17,873
Current Standing (as
of Saturday night): $3,605 raised by 56 backers.
I was instantly drawn in to the
well-made trailer for this web series. Even though it was just a description of
what they were filming and why they needed the money, it was created like a
story all on its own. I love when crowdfunding teams do that. It gives
potential investors the ability to see the kind of work those behind the
project like to do. It helps people figure out whether or not they are willing
to invest in that brand of comedy or attitude.
Personally, morbid
comedy is something I’m very much a fan of. When I did some work at the morgue,
it was common to get through certain cases by joking. It’s a little odd when
you think about cracking jokes about decomposition, but when I saw this trailer
it almost made me feel a little nostalgic for that.
I don’t know how
that works for most people, but yes, I just compared this project to cracking
jokes while surrounded by bodies in varies stages of decomposition. Call me
crazy, but I don’t think the creators of Tales
from the Edge will mind.
Trust the Dice interviewed
the people at Broken Toaster, but the responses were so humorous that I’m just
going to copy and paste the whole thing here. It’s a first for this particular
article series, but I don’t think anything else will properly prepare people
for what kind of humor to expect from this project.
Trust the Dice:Thank you for agreeing to discuss your project, Tales from the Edge.
Below are my questions. If you have anything to add, I’ll be happy to read it.
I attempted to go to the town’s website you show on your Kickstarter page. Was
that an expert fooling or just a broken link? (Judging from the way everything’s
written, I can’t tell.) Broken Toaster: Well that’s part of the
mystery isn't it?! Does a magician tell you how a trick is performed...No. Unless its the Masked Magician. He's a right spoil sports isn't he?! TTD:The Kickstarter page highlights your sense of humor very well. It’s
easy to imagine what your finished project will be like because of that. What
would you say have been the greatest influences on your humor throughout your
life? BT: Thank you very much. Yes we have
and are influenced by such legends as Lenny Henry and great comedy duos like
Hale & Pace and The Crankies.
However if you enjoy, The League of Gentlemen, Garth Marenghi's
Darkplace and Murder Most Horrid then this is the viewing for you. TTD:No one likes to think about coming short of success, but that’s what
I’m going to ask you to do here. If your Kickstarter campaign does not reach
its goal – will you create another campaign or try to find another way to fund
your project? BT: If this campaign doesn't work, we
have a back up plan. We've hired a farm
on the East coast where we intend to meet up and all digest a lovely cocktail
of poison and paracitimols, washed down with a nice Herbal Twinings Tea. TTD:You mention, briefly, the possibility of adding two more episodes (I
imagine this is part of your stretch goals). Do you have those two episodes
mapped out yet? Would they occur after Dead and Breakfast or before The
Aristocrats? BT: We may top and tail the episodes by
having one set in the 1940's and one set in the 2010's. Or we may just not
bother and fill out the episodes we already have with filler. You can never have enough walking shots in a
script, a cut away of a flower or bloodied axe.
The possibilities are endless. TTD:Do you foresee any significant differences between the filming of this
series and the filming you’ve done for your YouTube content? BT: We shall apply our usual strategy
which is if you can't plan it well.
Simply throw money at the problem.
The web-series is going to be next level. The money will give us time to
rehearse, refine and reward. TTD: For people who are new to your content, what three videos from your
YouTube channel would you suggest to get them started? BT: The Tooth of Freddie Mercury from
Drew, Bodies from Dave and Guess Who from Ben.
But I would say the 24 hour shorts are a great starting point if you
want to get started on "The Toast".
To show our faith
in this web series, Trust the Dice has donated a small amount to Tales from the Edge.
Lowest Fund Reward:
$1 – Bear Minimum, Fam – The bare minimum, or Bear minimum if you are from
Peckham or a Bear. The size of the donation isn’t what counts, it’s what we do
with it. Every $1 you give will go towards a part of production that we’d be a
pound short for if you hadn’t donated. Mainly this will go on coffee,
cigarettes, and renting the James Bond stage at Pinewood.
Highest Fund Reward:
$10,503 – Nearly There Person – Because of you, we’re nearly there! We’ll shout
you out every week as ‘almost there man/woman’ and you’ll be a part of the team
basically, you can come to set, even be in it, we may even give you a line… but
you don’t get any creative control of course, that’s just for us and you have
to bring your own cigarettes & coffee to set.
