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Let's Rap

We Talk...You Listen...Everyone Laughs! Comedy ensues when a quick-witted sister and brother embark on an ill-conceived quest to start their own talk show.

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Let's Rap

Let's Rap

Let's Rap

Let's Rap

Let's Rap

We Talk...You Listen...Everyone Laughs! Comedy ensues when a quick-witted sister and brother embark on an ill-conceived quest to start their own talk show.

We Talk...You Listen...Everyone Laughs! Comedy ensues when a quick-witted sister and brother embark on an ill-conceived quest to start their own talk show.

We Talk...You Listen...Everyone Laughs! Comedy ensues when a quick-witted sister and brother embark on an ill-conceived quest to start their own talk show.

We Talk...You Listen...Everyone Laughs! Comedy ensues when a quick-witted sister and brother embark on an ill-conceived quest to start their own talk show.

Samantha and Jesse Herman
Samantha and Jesse Herman
Samantha and Jesse Herman
Samantha and Jesse Herman
1 Campaign |
Toronto, Canada
$30,399 USD 249 backers
101% of $30,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal

Comedy ensues when a quick-witted sister and brother embark on an ill-conceived quest to start their own talk show.



March 30,2014 - The campaign has gone daytime! Check out the final, dramatic twist from the Let's Rap Campaign



March 25,2014 - What's the deal with the media strike? Check out the hilarious update on the Let's Rap Campaign



March 23,2014 - The media strike goes bad...check out this update about the Let's Rap campaign!



March 6,2014 - An important update from Sam and Jesse about the Let's Rap campaign!



ABOUT LET'S RAP

SYNOPSIS
When Melanie Schnurr returns home after losing her advertising job, she is reunited with her brother Bo, a failed stand-up comedian. With nothing but time on their hands, they resume their favorite past-time, rapping about inconsequential pop culture issues and their many grievances. Encouraged by a family member to take their banter public, they decide their skills are undeniably suited for their own televised talk show.


THE PROJECT

Let's Rap is a comedy feature written by siblings Samantha and Jesse Herman, who will be producing along with Ali Mashayekhi. Samantha and Ali have previously collaborated on several projects, including the TV Pilot Comrades and the short film Americanistan. Between these projects, Samantha, Ali and Jesse produced a short film based on characters written for the feature Let's Rap.  The positive feedback received on the short, particularly inclusion in the Canadian Media Production Association's annual showcase, ignited the team's interest in pursuing the feature length edition.

The characters of Let's Rap mirror the combative, but always humor laden, banter style of the writers themselves.  Knowing that tragically, Samantha and Jesse were unlikely to ever get their own talk show in real life, they decided to paint the story of like-minded siblings who might just have a chance in the reel world.

Americanistan, now in the editing room, was successfully funded by Indiegogo and the team is once again drawing on your support.

The team is looking to family, friends, and fans to help them achieve this ambitious project.  There are many exciting rewards to choose from: all of them in some way provide an interactive experience with the project and are a token of gratitude for your support.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to email us at: letsrap@landedentertainments.com



Want to meet the characters of Let's Rap?

Check out Funny or Die for the short film that was produced last year!



MEET THE TEAM

Ali Mashayekhi, Producer

Ali cultivated his interest in filmmaking during his academic years at the University of Toronto.  Thereafter, he founded Landed Entertainments in 2003, growing the company into an international, independent production company.  Since its inception, with Ali at the helm, Landed has produced feature films, shorts and music videos, all under budget.

Over the last two years, Ali has produced seven music videos for Japanese pop music stars, so impressed with Landed, they flew all the way to Toronto for their shoots.  These videos were made collaboratively with Japanese producer, Yumiko Kawamoto and her company, Seven Note . He also produced the comedy pilot Comrades, which was picked up for a first season distribution and is poised to go back into production later this year, as well as the short Americanistan.  Since completing the Let’s Rap short, he has also begun developing international feature film co-productions with South Korea and Japan.   Lastly, he will be leading production on a documentary called Alam High School, which tells the story of an international school during the 1970’s in Iran.

Read more on IMDB


Samantha Herman, Writer/Producer

Samantha has been passionate about television, film and the arts from a young age. She studied English Literature and Film Studies at the University of Toronto in her hometown.  She then moved to Chicago where she graduated cum laude from Loyola University Chicago Law School.  Knowing that Chicago was no place for a filmmaker, she again made a significant move to Los Angeles, California where she passed the grueling state bar on her first attempt.

She met the team of Landed Entertainments in 2012 as they went into production on the short film Comrades in Los Angeles.  Samantha participated as production legal counsel and immediately a close working relationship was born.  Since then, she has worked with Landed on seven music videos, the short Americanistan and, of course, the Let’s Rap short film based on this feature.  She now heads the Los Angeles office of Landed Entertainments and splits her time between Los Angeles and Toronto.

As a writer, Samantha collaborates on comedy screenplays with her brother Jesse, with whom she shares a similar proclivity for off-color humor and pop culture referencing.


Jesse Herman, Writer/Producer

Jesse has always challenged himself through his education, earning his degree in English and minor in Film Studies from McMaster University.   During his academic years, he also cultivated his gift for comedy, taking classes at Toronto's Second City improv.  Though he was passionate about film and keen to maintain his creative writing efforts, he first pursued his law degree and graduated from the University of Toronto School of Law in 2010.   He was called to the Ontario Bar in June 2011.

Jesse currently practices law in Hamilton, Ontario, where he lives with his wife and 5-month-old son.  Outside of work, Jesse is an avid movie-goer, television-watcher, tennis and softball player and dispenser of comedy.  He has also found his new calling as an emcee of weddings.

Comedy writing has always come naturally for Jesse and his writing partner/sister, Samantha.  Several coffee shop appearances, dedicated Skype chats and the retelling of actual conversations from the past, have provided more than enough lines to form the foundation of their material.   Jesse is thrilled to join Ali and Samantha to produce the feature version of Let's Rap.


Rachel Wilson, Associate Producer

Rachel has successfully cultivated an acting career that has been thriving since she began at the age of twelve.  Having navigated the entertainment industry on TV series, films and miniseries, including Breaker High and Republic of Doyle, she has developed a keen interest in the world behind the camera.  To that end, Rachel decided to take the plunge into the world of producing earlier this year, taking her first position as Associate Producer on the Landed short film Americanistan, in which she also played the lead role.

Thoroughly enjoying her experience on Americanistan, Rachel is thrilled to continue her producing career on the feature film Let's Rap.  Since she also played the lead role in the short film version, she is well acquainted with the team and the creative materials.  Rachel plans to bring her creativity and experience as an actor into this new challenge.   She also intends to utilize her knowledge to ensure roles are available to the next generation of young female performers.

Read more on IMDB


Dana Rosen, Associate Producer

Dana grew up in culturally rich New York City.  Her earliest passion for the arts was honed in college where she majored in art history.  From there she adopted her first career in the music industry, where she worked in music promotion and production.   Discovering a passion for organizing within the arts community, Dana moved on to become the Manager of Special Events at the prestigious Public Theater, one of New York City's leading cultural institutions.

After several years at the theater, Dana's interests urged her to move west, and she became a Los Angeles resident in 2010.  She currently manages a luxury lifestyle brand in the fashion world.  As Los Angeles is the filmmaking capitol, Dana soon grew fascinated with the behind-the-scene components of the industry.  This project will be Dana's first foray into producing, which will combine her organizational skills with her lifelong passion for movies, and she is delighted to collaborate on the full length Let's Rap with Samantha, Ali and Jesse.

Official Poster for Let's Rap the short

MEET THE CAST

Rachel Wilson as "Melanie Schnurr" - From the age of 12, Rachel Wilson has appeared in numerous films and television series both in Canada and the U.S. From her breakout role in “Breaker High” opposite Ryan Gosling, to starring roles in such films as “Mystery, Alaska”, “Anywhere But Here” and “The Glass House”, Rachel has worked with some of the top names in Hollywood.

Rachel has starred in the Emmy and Gemini nominated miniseries “The Kennedys”, opposite Tom Wilkinson, and has recurred on CBC’s hit series “Republic of Doyle” in her Gemini-nominated role as Dr. Nikki Rehnolds. Most recently she has held a recurring role in Global TV’s “Bomb Girls” opposite Meg Tilly and Ali Liebert, guest-starred on CBC’s Cracked, and starred opposite Catherine Bell in Hallmark’s latest installment of “The Good Witch”. She has also recently reprised her role as Nikki Renholds in ”Republic of Doyle”. Rachel is currently shooting Bruce McDonald’s new feature “Hellions” as well as “Any Given History”, a film by Molly McGlynn.

Read more on IMDB


"Bo Schnurr"

To Be Announced...


"Ethan"

To Be Announced...


"Victor Brady"

To Be Announced...


"Uncle Lem"

To Be Announced...


"Rhoda"

To Be Announced...


Adam Tsekhman as "Stefano Chyka" - Adam is a Canadian Actor based in Los Angeles. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Acting from Columbia University. Before attending Columbia, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the prestigious Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, but chose to pass up a career in finance in order to pursue acting.Adam also plays the lead in the sitcom Comrades, which he also co-wrote with Americanistan writer/creator Brian Pargac.

Adam’s first television appearance occurred on the hit Russian TV Series, Zona. The show reached number one in Russia and became a national phenomenon. Adam was nominated for Best Actor in a TV Series at the 46th Monte Carlo International Television Festival. He eventually lost to Kiefer Sutherland in 24. Adam has appeared in various television shows such as The Mentalist, How I Met Your Mother, NCIS: Los Angeles, Rizzoli and Isles, and Flash Forward.

Read more on IMDB


"Michelle"

To Be Announced...


Victor Chiu as "Ryan Chang" - Victor lives in Toronto with his family and has worked in TV and film landing various roles including Rookie Blue and Flashpoint as well being featured in various other ad campaigns. Victor has also worked with Landed Entertainments on several projects starting in 2004 on a short film Pretender where he starred as the titular character. Victor has also developed a business relationship with Landed expanding his role on the producing team, including the feature Piece of Mind and recent short Americanistan.

Read more on IMDB


Christine Aziz as "Carrie" - Originally from Mississauga, Christine appeared in two Landed films, Piece of Mind and The Reelist . She has also appeared on The Firm, Covert Affairs, Lost Girl, the webseries The Giant Comes Out, and in the Canadian Premiere of Reefer Madness: The Musical. Currently she is the lead singer for The Jazz Forge and performs regularly at The Royal York and other venues around the city. Her one woman musical, ELLAmentary, won Best of Fringe in Toronto, and was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award. She is also developing new work as part of a fellowship with The Theatre Centre.

Read more on IMDB


Roozbeh Termei as "Habib" - Roozbeh grew up in Iran but soon found himself in Canada studying engineering at U of T. But his true calling was acting and in 2005 he started his acting career on the feature film The Reelist, playing a "new-comer" to Canada. Since then, he's been in several short films and starred in the intense thriller Money Comes First. When he's not acting, he's inspiring the next generation as a high school Mathematics teacher.

Read more on IMDB


Jesse Shimkovitz as "Bo's Boss Ben" - Jesse grew up in Toronto and was drawn to the entertainment world and its industry at a young age. He participated in the arts program throughout his high school years where he studied theatre and drama. In 2011 he appeared in an episode of CBC's Being Erica and in 2012 performed alongside Marion Ross in a stage version of Lost in Yonkers at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts.

He is currently a first year student at Western University where he is flourishing in business studies. He hopes to take his business knowledge and passion for film and parlay that into a producing career. Let's Rap will mark Jesse's feature film acting debut.



ALI'S GOURMET SPOILS

Here's a sample of the choices if you select this new tier:

Supplies are limited and only 5 people get to have their choice, so act soon! Items may not be exactly as shown.



MORE ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

What We Need & What You Get
We are raising $30,000 that will be used towards production, particularly equipment, crew and locations. The total budget is $125,000 and we are raising the difference through other sources, including distribution and private investment.

If we don't reach our goal, we will still go into production but will have to reduce in areas such as acting cameos and production design.

For your contribution there are many rewards to choose from where you will either get fun gifts related to the project or even get to hang out with the cast and crew.

Other Ways You Can Help
We are spreading the word, but we need your help to expose this comic gold to a wider audience. After you have contributed, please feel free to email the Indiegogo link to your friends and even post it to Facebook and Twitter. The more noise we can make the better!


F.A.Q.

When/Where will you be filming?
We will be filming during Summer 2014 in Toronto, Ontario (Canada). Currently the shoot is scheduled for 20 shooting days.

You already did a short, why a feature?
Short answer-this much humor cannot possibly fit into 15 minutes! Seriously though, Let’s Rap was originally written as a feature. The short film that we created last year was meant to introduce the characters of Melanie and Bo Schnurr and their comic styling. It was used to expose different people (and investors) to the idea of what the feature film could be. Lucky for us, the people with money laughed, and here we are today!

How do you expect to pull it off?
$125K, 20 days, so many jokes…it does seem like a daunting task. Our production team has built a reputation of being resourceful and innovative beyond people’s imagination. However, over the 10 years that we have been in the business, amongst other things, we have turned concert venues into lofts, offices into bedrooms and even converted the basement of our office into a cave.

Even better, we technically have filmed some scenes already! If you missed the previous question, Let’s Rap was converted into a short last year, so we have ironed out many of the logistical issues from the production side and have implemented script changes to make the comedy flow even better.

If you have other funding sources, why do you need Indiegogo?
While we have much of the financing in place from the other sources, the Indiegogo campaign will supplement the total budget so we can raise the final result into a different echelon. With the support from this campaign, everything from actors to production design to music can be enhanced.

Can I be in the Film?
Probably not…but let us explain. Our movie is going to be registered under the ACTRA umbrella, meaning that only Canadian unionized Actors can be a part of the film. This encompasses both leads and background performers, so unless you are part of the union, there isn’t much we can do due to union regulations.

Why ACTRA?
A lot of people have asked why we are going union, since it is generally more expensive. However, the cost difference is only a single factor. Generally speaking, the talent pool under the union is accomplished, marketable and professional. It is essential to not only have a talented and experienced crew to make your project look good, but also have skilled actors to ensure the every joke is delivered as intended.

When will the project be done?
We will finish filming in Summer 2014 and then will go into editing. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we expect to present the final cut in Winter 2014.

What happens after it’s finished?
The completed project will make a run on the festival circuit while the distribution company strategizes the best platform for presenting it. This may be theatrical or On-demand or maybe even online, which is proving to be the fastest growing presentation market.

When will I receive my reward?
Once our campaign closes and the final dollars have been accounted for we will be reaching out to the recipients of each tier to gather all the pertinent information.

Some tiers will be easy to organize and deliver and some will take a bit of co-ordination (ie: set visits/trips). However, we guarantee that you will get the reward as soon as possible without any avoidable delays.

I have chosen a reward that requires travel, now what?
There are several tiers which offer a day out with one of our producers and we will work with you one-on-one to come up with a mutually beneficial time where you can relax and enjoy yourself.

Some of the trips require coordination with multiple people, so please bear with us while we make sure it works out for everyone.

How do set visits work?
So, you have donated and want to know the logistics behind visiting the set. It’s not super complicated; once the final filming schedule has been locked, we will pick a couple of days that will be open for set visits (understandably there may be some hectic days which we won’t be able to accommodate).

Once these days have been selected, you will be contacted to choose a time for your visit. When you get on set, you will be assigned a wrangler (or in fancier terms, concierge) who will guide you through the maze that is film sets; they will also give you a rundown of set etiquette and be there for anything you may want to see or do.

The Let’s Rap short was hilarious; I can’t wait for the feature!
That’s not a question, but thank you! We feel the same way.

Looking for more information? Check the project FAQ
Need more information
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Choose your Perk

Your Name in the Credits

$18 USD
We will include your name in the end credits of the film in a special section dedicated to our generous Indiegogo supporters!
Estimated Shipping
August 2014
21 claimed

Bonus Draw to the Premiere

$25 USD
We will include your name in the end credits of the film in a special section dedicated to our generous Indiegogo supporters! PLUS: You will be entered into a draw for two tickets to the Let's Rap Toronto or LA premiere. 18 lucky winners will be selected. NB: Travel and accommodation will not be provided.
Estimated Shipping
August 2014
52 claimed

Autographed Script

$50 USD
You will receive an official Let's Rap shooting script (PDF format), autographed by the cast and crew! PLUS: Your Name in the Credits!
Estimated Shipping
August 2014
21 claimed

Customized Pop Culture Guide

$75 USD
Writer/Producer Samantha Herman will custom build you a pop culture reading/viewing guide based on your interests and preferences. PLUS: Your Name in the Credits
Estimated Shipping
August 2014
8 claimed

Digital Download

$100 USD
A digital copy of the film that you can download to your computer and cherish forever! PLUS: Your Name in the Credits
Estimated Shipping
August 2014
19 claimed

Visit the Set

$180 USD
Spend a day on the set of Let's Rap and get to meet the cast and crew. PLUS: Your Name in the Special Thanks Credits NB: Travel and accommodation will not be provided.
Estimated Shipping
August 2014
14 out of 20 of claimed

Autographed Poster

$250 USD
An official, full-sized Let's Rap poster, autographed by the cast and crew! PLUS: Your Name in the Special Thanks Credits
Estimated Shipping
August 2014
10 out of 20 of claimed

Private Screening

$500 USD
Admission to a private screening of Let's Rap with the cast and crew in Toronto. PLUS: Your Name in the Special Thanks Credits NB: Travel and accommodation will not be provided. Cast and crew in attendance is subject to availability and can change without notice.
Estimated Shipping
August 2014
6 out of 20 of claimed

Wine Tasting with Ben Hodson

$600 USD
***NEW*** Ben will guide you + 7 friends through an evening of wine tasting. You will also learn what to look for when choosing and tasting wines of different varieties and regions.
Estimated Shipping
August 2014
0 claimed

Samantha and Jesse =Your Hosts

$750 USD
The pair will emcee your next big event, including their signature speeches. Weddings, bar mitzvahs, corporate events, whatever! PLUS: Your Name in the VIP Credits
Estimated Shipping
October 2014
1 out of 5 of claimed

A Date with Samantha

$1,000 USD
Writer/Producer Samantha Herman will take you out for a night in Los Angeles or Toronto. Big laughs, movie quotes and good times are all included! PLUS: Your Name in the VIP Credits NB: Travel and accommodation will not be provided.
0 out of 1 of claimed

Baseball with Jesse

$1,000 USD
Writer/Producer Jesse Herman will spend a baseball-themed day with you in Toronto. Includes batting cages, a solid game of catch, Blue Jays game and aimless banter. PLUS: Your Name in the VIP Credits NB: Travel and accommodation will not be provided.
0 out of 1 of claimed

Acting Workshop with Rachel

$1,000 USD
Let's Rap star, Rachel Wilson, will spend an afternoon with you in Toronto teaching the tips and tricks of acting. PLUS: Your Name in the VIP Credits NB: Travel and accommodation will not be provided.
0 out of 1 of claimed
sold out

Ali's Gourmet Spoils

$100 USD
Estimated Shipping
April 2014
5 out of 5 of claimed
sold out

A Night in Vegas with Ali

$1,000 USD
1 out of 1 of claimed
sold out

See Yourself On-Screen

$1,818 USD
Estimated Shipping
August 2014
2 out of 2 of claimed
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