A woman by the name of Emily Brundige, an animation artist and blogger, is sending around an email to Park Slopers because her brother David Brundige is trying to raise funds to make
his first feature film, which takes place in Park Slope and is called "The Prospects."
This is a Park Slope story, folks. And maybe a movie worth supporting.
Filmmaker David Brundige says that he has "infused
this movie with all that I love about Park Slope, and the story of
romance and friendship that comes with it is derived from that deformed
funny bone lodged in my heart."
Making a Park Slope film served two purposes for the filmmaker: "First, there were a hundred things
from which to draw and inform our movie; fascinating scenarios,
settings and people were abundant. The second benefit is that we knew
the streets, as it were. This meant that shooting would be easier as we
procured locations and recruited local faces to appear in the film.
Containing the movie in Park Slope meant limiting the number of
locations, and their proximity to one another assured smoother company
moves-all boons for filmaking on a budget."
According to Brundige, her brother, who grew up in Los Angeles, is an incredibly gifted screenwriter and director, and she's been watching him
make ingenious short films and videos since he was in high school.
the film), donate less if you can't afford the $25, or if you happen to
be in a good position to donate more, you can donate over $25 and
recieve special bonus perks.
Here is Emily's brother David in his own words on his website.
came to us a few years ago, when I was already two years into my search
for investors for my $5M project called Kidnap the Princess. Jeremy
Weissman, Charlie Hewson and I were living together at 465 13th Street
in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and were inspired by the neighborhood around
us, especially during the summer. For me, having grown up in L.A., Park
Slope epitomized that "neighborhood feel," as Charlie, Jeremy and I
became friendly with many neighbors, store clerks, and waitresses who
saw us every day.
Making a movie about this
rich area served a double purpose. First, there were a hundred things
from which to draw and inform our movie; fascinating scenarios,
settings and people were abundant. The second benefit is that we knew
the streets, as it were. This meant that shooting would be easier as we
procured locations and recruited local faces to appear in the film.
Containing the movie in Park Slope meant limiting the number of
locations, and their proximity to one another assured smoother company
moves-all boons for filmmaking on a budget.
What
has taken so long to get to this point is not the laboring over a
script, nor the fact that I moved back to L.A. a year and a half ago.
For me, it was $5M that has been dangled in front of my face over and
over again by potential investors for Kidnap the Princess, an amount
that would mean an instant rocket boost onto "the map." As phony
investors and bad deals came and went, I fell into a perpetual cycle of
finding part-time jobs that would allow me to pay rent and go to
meetings, talk to lawyers, and get investment packets together at the
drop of a hat. I managed to stay away from Top Ramen, but I did scrape
my knee on the poverty line. The last deal that fell through this March
with a top Hollywood producer was the proverbial last straw.
The
past five years have been emotionally draining on my self-confidence as
a filmmaker and on my general development into becoming the person I
want to be. Filmmaking is so tied into who I am and how I perceive
myself, that not making films has been, let's just say, hard. I don't
mean to depress you, only to help you see why making this film means so
much to me, and why it has to be filmed right now.
One
other reason for the film's urgency is that 465 13th Street, the
brownstone that we shared as friends and that Charlie has now lived in
for five years, is being sold by its owners. The next two months will
be our last chance to use it for filming, as we had always planned. It
is now or never for this film.
I have infused
this movie with all that I love about Park Slope, and the story of
romance and friendship that comes with it is derived from that deformed
funny bone lodged in my heart. I hope you'll decide the DVD is worth
your $25 and that you might help push this film over the edge by
donating more.
All money raised will go into
making the film. If we raise in excess of $25,000, the extra funding
will be used to entice a name star to appear in the film. Some hopefuls
are Sophie Okonedo, Paula Patton, and Meghan Good to play Cherise, and
Laura Linney or Patricia Clarkson to play the old man's daughter.
Thanks for reading and thanks even more for caring.
– David
Just so you know, Kidnap the Princess was actually the $5-million film/screenplay David was previously trying to get produced. His current project, the Park Slope film, which he is trying to make for $25K, is currently titled The Prospects.
Thanks again!
Geez, you’re awesome! Thank you so much! I wonder if my brother has seen this…
Much appreciated!