And so begins our 30-day countdown to shoot Eat Your Heart Out... well, it is with your help.
Abby Pierce and Julia Lederer are collaborating once again as writers on this magical realism short film that Abby will direct. It is intended to tour the international film festival circuits and will serve as their pitch to production companies to produce the feature-length film.
They have assembled an accomplished crew, and a cast you might recognize from shows like Community, This Is Us, Modern Family, Chicago Fire, Battlestar Galactica and movies like LA Confidential, Brokeback Mountain, and Pearl Harbor.
An established film production company, 71 Degrees North, has partnered with the film and has agreed to give us $200,000 worth of equipment.
The actors and producers are working for free, and the crew is working well below their standard rates, all because they believe in this story.
What is our budget for?
The crew is working below their standard rate, but we are shooting multiple days and need to compensate them for their expertise and work. We need to budget in insurance for our film equipment, and need to provide food for the cast and crew. Also, there are costumes, props, locations, and... well... blood (but in a charming way!).
There's also editing, color correcting, sound mixing, and music rights.
It adds up quickly.
It's gonna happen! We are beginning our shoot July 7th. Everyone is signed up and ready to go. We have the kindest and most talented team and everyone is passionate about this movie.
Be a part of the film! We'd love to see your name in the credits.
Bios of the team
Jason Chiu (Direcor of Photography)
Jason is the visionary of the cinematography of this film. He has worked on commercials for Nissan, Samsung, McDonald’s, and The Special Olympics. He was the DP for the award-winning films Runner and Henry Gamble’s Birthday.
Kyle Leland (1st Assistant Director)
Kyle is an award-winning filmmaker in Chicago. He worked 10 years as a production assistant on major studio productions and produced local commercials since 2010. His short film for the 48 Hour Film Project won top honors at Filmapalooza 2018 and was selected to screen at the Cannes Film Festival this year.
Abby Pierce (Co-Writer, Director, Actor)
Abby is an improvisor, writer, director, and teacher in Chicago. The webseries she created and co-wrote, The Exquisite Corpse, partnered her with OpenTV. She also teaches theater to inmates at Cook County Jail along with Beacon Academy and various schools. She will be directing Hopelessly Devoted at Piven Theatre next March, which will also tour local prisons and jails. She is acting and partnering with Pulitzer Prize Winner David Auburn on his upcoming world premiere of The Adventures of Augie March next April. Abby has appeared in Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, performed stand-up on TBS’s Rooftop Comedy Hour, and in various indie films.
Julia Lederer (Co-Writer)
Julia is an internationally-acclaimed, award-winning writer. Her plays have been produced across North America and in the UK. The Toronto Star called her “delightfully original” and Crain’s Chicago said her work is, “wonderfully weird, piercingly poetic and unexpectedly moving.” NOW Magazine wrote, “Keep your eye on Lederer, whose got huge potential.”
Graham Beckel (narrator)
Film and TV credits include: L.A. Confidential, Brokeback Mountain, Battlestar Galactica, The Paper Chase, Leaving Las Vegas
Charley Koontz(Actor)
Film and TV credits include: Community, CSI: Cyber, Modern Family, Rubber, and This Is Us.
Christine Vrem-Ydstie (Producer)
Katherine Bourne Taylor (Producer)
Martin Rodhal (Executive Producer)
Neha Schultz (Executive Producer)
Braden Coucher (Production Designer)
Joshua McClain (Location Scout)
TBA: Sound Designer, Composer, Editor, Sound Mixer, Color Corrector, Props Designer, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Assistant Camera, Production Assistant
