Summary
I'm Brandon Harrison, the director of Action Novelty. Alongside my producing partner, Evan Terrell, we are creating a short film that I like to think of as PG-13 Uncut Gems. It's a father-son workplace dramedy that is set in the world of street vending. Essentially, Action Novelty is in a sense my story. It's a pretty peculiar world that sits right under our noses. Day to day, there are people that show up at our street fairs, festivals, or appear outside of your nearest arena selling t-shirts, knick knacks, and novelties just to make ends meet. And I was one of them!
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Our film is set in a compelling PG-13 underworld that I really began to understand as something unique as an adult. Spending hours riding in cargo vans and selling things with my dad was plainly a bit odd. But I learned lessons: work ethic, ingenuity and a bit of financial savvy.
And it made enough of an imprint that I was able to write an article in the book New Jersey Fan Club:Writers and Artists share stories about the Garden State. That validation from that experience pushed me and my partner Evan to charge forward to tell the story in a visual medium. This short film hopes to detail a one of a kind father and son experience that treats the people looking to make ends meet on the margins with kindness and through a thoughtful lens. Your contribution will help us make it a reality.
About Us
Brandon Harrison (Director)
Brandon Harrison grew up doing this work with his dad. This story is loosely based on that experience, which he penned an article about in the book “New Jersey Fan Club” published by Rutgers University Press. He has experience in non-fiction content as a producer, development executive, filmmaker, and programmer. He has curated features, shorts, and series at Brooklyn Film Festival, DOC NYC, and Tribeca as well as produced branded content and served on various documentary juries and committees.
Evan Terrell (Producer)
Evan got his start producing podcasts for famous comedians and influencers at one of New York’s premiere comedy clubs, Stand Up NY. There, he was introduced to stand up comedy and practiced the artform himself - using it as a way to make sense of his feelings and purge the thoughts he could not freely express. Learning he has a knack for creative development and collaboration, Evan has gone onto work for Hasbro, WarnerMedia Discovery and Kapital Entertainment where he’s developed and sold several television series.
What We Need & What You Get
The funds provided for this project will contribute to the completion of this film through principal photography and post production. Our aim is to complete a 15 minute film with strong production quality to match our vision. Through pre production we’ve highlighted a number of significant areas which will help push us forward. We envision a four day shoot for the film at three exterior locations which incur daily fees as well a pay for our crew and cast. We intend for our team to be appropriately compensated, particularly, in our Camera, Lighting, Sound and Art departments. Additionally, this is a film we intend to finish this year, and have allocated for our edit and color correction. For your support we're offering Action Novelty specific perks that we hope bring a bit of joy to your world. Including an Action Novelty branded Inflatable!
The Impact
This story is personal, yet its not as unique as I once thought. Everyday, I see kids working, and working hard, sometimes with their parents, sometimes alone. Although there are a lot of lessons I learned from this experience, there's countless children whose stories could be illuminated through this one. Some of these kids do not have the support that I had, and I'd hope that a story like this as we take it through the festival circuit showcases a certain marker of urban life that is often overlooked.
Risks & Challenges
Producing a film is hard! But we feel we have the expertise, background, and most importantly passion to bring this film to life. We've both worked in a variety of capacities at various entertainment companies and know what it takes to make things happen. It's money (of course) but also dedication to the project, a willingness to play nice with others, as well as an ability to utilize your network. We believe in working with the right people and feel that our team will help fill the gaps as we move forward.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can't donate but can share please do! If you have the ability to support in other manners via equipment or services please contact us at actionnoveltyfilm@gmail.com
