2011 was a great year for the independent film business and we’re going to start 2012 off with a bang! Writer Brad Staggs, Director Scott Luter, and Videographer David Bonnell have teamed up to form Wholly Odd Productions, bringing together our collaborative talents in the coming year.
Our first production, Ex-Kid, will shoot starting on March 3, 2012. Our freshman production is a 22-minute comedy short which serves as a pilot for a possible television series.
Ex-Kid is the humorous story of Ken Schaffer, a former child television star in the 1970's. He was loved by millions but hated by his co-stars and crew due to the prima-donna attitude encouraged by his agent/father. Ken’s mother took him away from the Hollywood environment to Indiana, her birthplace. Ken lived out a normal childhood in the days before “Where are they now?” reality shows and joined the Army after high school. He has lived in several different parts of the world, getting married and divorced. The series picks up as Ken is newly retired from the military and is back in Los Angeles starting a new career as a writer. The fact that he has been gone from the Hollywood system and his military mentality produces a hilarious juxtaposition as Ken must deal with his past coming back to haunt him. His father is still trying to sell him as an actor, his ex-wife won’t stop calling, and his teenage daughter refuses to turn off her iPod long enough to talk to him.
The filming of the pilot episode of Ex-Kid will take place over two consecutive weekends in March. Upon completion, the film will be entered at several film festivals. Our ultimate goal is to see the series picked up by a network.
We are pleased to announce that the project has attracted the talent of Brad Staggs, a regular host on the Home and Garden Television Network and Do-It-Yourself expert. He will play the part of Robert Landing, head writer at the fictional production company, Lucky Duck Productions. And yes, that is a different Brad Staggs than the creator of the show, Bradley A. Staggs, Indiana native and another actor in the production.
A casting call will take place the weekend of February 11th in Indianapolis. We are looking for 3 male roles, ages 30+; 1 female role, age 30+; and 1 role that could be either male or female, age 25+. Actors should bring a headshot and resume and be prepared with a comedy monologue. The cast will be announced via the Ex-Kid website at www.ex-kid.com and the Ex-Kid Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ex-Kid/341128522583800 (like us!) on Monday, February 13th. The location of the auditions will also be announced on these sites.
Most technical positions are filled at this time. However, if you are interested in working behind the scenes on this production, please contact David Bonnell at dave@ex-kid.com immediately or join us at the Indiana Filmmakers Network (http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/5382449841/) meeting taking place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 10th, at the Hamilton 16 IMAX.
While the filming of Ex-Kid will be inexpensive, especially compared to comparable television series, there are still a few expenses that must be met. To support this project, please go to the Ex-Kid page at IndieGoGo (http://www.indiegogo.com/Ex-Kid) and give generously.
If you would like to discuss an investment opportunity in the film, please email Scott Luter (scott@ex-kid.com), Bradley A. Staggs (brad@ex-kid.com), or David Bonnell (dave@ex-kid.com) for more information.
Homegrown Indiana productions help our state and local artists. Please support us in this venture.
Thank you-
-Brad
