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In the fall of 2011 we made a short movie called The High Road. It was a simple idea about three very different fellows bonded by the same very urgent need. Well lo and behold, people really dug it - REALLY DUG IT, and the oft-heard comment was “I wish it were longer"... Well, we know enough to give the people what they want. We start shooting September 17 and are ready to do OUR part if YOU are ready to do yours.
The House Itself
A DRUG MOVIE WITH NO DRUGS... The House Itself is a very original take on an unoriginal subject. We have no desire to glorify or romanticize the “cool factor” or danger of drug use in any way. A “dope” movie like no other, the film’s intent is to use drug addiction as a metaphor for misplaced desire, for looking for love in the all the wrong places. Now who can’t relate to that?
The Back Story
REDEMPTION AND LIVES TURNED AROUND! The makers of this movie know of what they speak. All of them struggled for years with drug addiction and are now CLEAN! They all come out of the same AA “home group” for god’s sakes. TJ Bowen (actor, co-writer) and Blake Heron (actor) met in a “Sober Living” and Tommy wrote Cool Runnings, and the others movies he is known for, under the influence…in 2007 his alternative lifestyle led to open heart surgery, a near fatal bleeding ulcer and two brutal months in the hospital. Now all of them are thriving and thrilled to have a chance to make a unique, entertaining, and authentic movie.
Who Are We?
Tommy Swerdlow, our writer and director, came to Los Angeles as an actor in 1983 and had a brief but successful acting career co-starring in movies such as Real Genius, Howard The Duck and Child’s Play. He had a starring role in the Vietnam war film Hamburger Hill. He started writing movies in 1989 and is best known for Cool Runnings and Little Giants among others. He was the first writer on Shrek and was responsible for taking a six page book about an ogre and making a movie about a donkey and an ogre. He has written extensively in television as well and had an original series on the WB in 2000 called Brutally Normal.
Executive Producer Daren Hicks has supervised the production of some of the biggest movies ever, from Transformers to portions of Ironman 3.
Producers Lee Buckley and Clay Reed know what it takes to stretch our every dollar to its limit. We couldn't ask for a more experienced or dedicated team.
Cast members include:
Tommy Swerdlow
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TJ Bowen
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Blake Heron
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Where Your Money Goes
We're all invested in this project, and all of our above-the-line (fancy term for expensive people) folks are dedicating their time. Our equipment is donated, our future is bright, but there are still areas of unavoidable hard costs.
First, the money goes to food. You'd be surprised at what it takes to feed 20-30 people a meal and a half every day for 3 weeks. It also goes to permits. Unfortunately, the fine people of the Los Angeles permitting offices don't distinguish between sizes of production. We pay as much as the big guys. With more donations, we get better locations. With better locations, we can provide a better movie. We are anything but frivolous, and know what it takes to stretch our dollars to their absolute limit. We're excited, focused, and determined to bring this story to life, and with your help, we can make it better and better.
