WALNUTS the movie is a darkly comedic look at family, friendship, and the extreme places one may go to find what they're looking for.
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Jerry Stax, a moderately successful film star, who's lost his way is taken by his best pal and fellow thespian,Terry Ruggles, to a remote locale where the enigmatic Dr. Buck runs an unconventional clinic for creative rejuvenation.
While there, Jerry navigates his way through the various stimuli of the other curious "participants" attending, and the seemingly inexplicable methods of Dr. Buck.
Soon enough an outside force threatens the sanctity of Buck's operation, as strange familial ties and unquiet minds unravel.
"We all have attics in our closets." - Dr. Buck
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Why WALNUTS?
I've been very fortunate to collaborate on great projects with talented filmmakers. However, I feel that everything I've learned on set, in theater, art school, and John Kirby Studio has prepared me to finally create a film that is uniquely my own.
WALNUTS the movie is my most ambitious goal to date. I'm ready to throw my hat in the ring with other independent filmmakers. But I still need your help.
"There's retirement money in a mattress around here somewhere..." -Dr. Buck
I humbly ask for your support to help fund my project. Join the WALNUTS Family! It's part Walton's family and part Spinal Tap, but all very enjoyable!
In all seriousness, I can't do this without you. My team and I have set out to raise a realistic budget for this film from beginning to end. And we're determined to get it made as economically efficient as possible.
Calling all friends and calling all favors!
For Your Entertainment:
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(I appreciate and respect any and all persons I've playfully represented in this WALNUTS Promotional Video Documentary Extravaganza.)
So we decided to create for you, our potential backers a bit of pre-WALNUTS fun. We felt it was important to give you a glimpse inside our mind, and a taste of our humor right off the bat. This outer fiction to the film was developed to introduce you to the actors you'll be investing in. And while these Promotional Videos are not a direct representation of my script, we hope the short vignettes grab your attention, and get you hooked on what we're up to.
*SHARE, RE-POST, RETWEET, EMAIL, LIKE, TWEET, RE-LIKE (?), # these videos to your friends and family for us, to help grow this WALNUTS Family Tree.
"All I need is walnuts, RIGHT NOW!" - Double Diamond Dee
So go on Jeremy-David Ball's journey with him, as he helps his one and only Bro, me (Jonas Ball), get his film made. We will be updating you weekly with new videos of Jeremy-David and the cast.
The sooner you contribute, you will automatically receive the newest video updates which I promise will tickle you plenty.
Min, Sarah, and I have shot these vignettes with zero crew and zero budget, running on nothing but fumes and inspiration. We wanted to demonstrate what we could accomplish with very little. Imagine what we could accomplish with your help!
El' Teamo:
Writer/Director/Actor/Producer: Jonas Ball
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Jonas Ball received critical acclaim for his role as John Lennon’s lone assassin, Mark David Chapman, in The Killing of John Lennon. He then starred in Dan Myrick’s sci-fi Afghani war thriller The Objective, and has worked with other acclaimed independent filmmakers such as Nathan Silver. He most recently shot House of Sticks, where he played a war vet suffering with PTSD. He co-wrote the web pilot Taking Care of Helen, and has studied under renowned acting coach John Kirby for years. He got his degree in Fine Arts at UCLA, where he also began acting in The Shakespeare Reading & Performance Group, and worked his writing and sketch comedy chops in Piso Mojado, and has acted in multiple plays around L.A.
Producer/Actress/Badass: Sarah Jo Jones
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Sarah Jo Jones made the big move from West Virginia to NYC at 17 to attend The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She danced and acted in theater, commercials, and television in New York until moving to Los Angeles in 2007. Not only does SJ Jones have a passion for performance, and an inspired imagination, but she has a fierce entrepreneurial drive and faculty for business. Not to mention an acute nose for the grape as she's a Certified Sommelier. She's thrilled to be producing her first feature film, WALNUTS the movie.
DP/Designer/Actor/Magic Man: minwin
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minwin swims with sharks... he has made love to unicorns and slapped high-fives with unborn babies while surfing to the outer edges of andromeda five... he has been known to dance like forever and still occasionally lives the life of a perpetual dreamer... won't you dream a little dream of we...
"Pure maple syrup Jerry. The real thing from the locally grown maple trees." - Terry Ruggles
My Muse:
The seed of inspiration for my script is Piso Mojado, the irreverent sketch comedy troupe I was fortunate to be a member of back in my UCLA days.
Everything Grows From Piso!
Piso Mojado poked fun at anything and everything, and most often ourselves. We exploited our idiosyncrasies, pushed boundaries, took pride in collaboration, and ultimately trusted that if we made ourselves laugh others would follow.
Clear Intent:
"You aim to kill me?" - Babee Whiskey
No Babee Whiskey... I just want to make an independent film with the actors I love, using my instinctual voice and writing style, where the energy of the film, and the characters in front of the camera take precedent over any particular genre or the stifling agony of too much production behind the camera...
This project will be communally generated by the generous actors and crew, friends and family, pitching-in their time and talents to make it happen. Limitations can often be our best allies. We will use the natural elements and our ingenuity to make magic!
Because my script doesn't follow every rule, finding support from traditional avenues for financing is near impossible. So we are here on Indiegogo looking for funders like you, who will support this kind of filmmaking.
"Get in! It's easier than thinking about it!" - Lloyd Taber
The balance between the absurd and the real is the tightrope I intend to cross.
Also, drawing inspiration from filmmakers like Nathan Silver (STINKING HEAVEN), and Trey Edward Shultz (KRISHA), I see this process as an intimate and inspired exchange with actors and crew, so we are good to dive into the deep end together.
And while I understand my script, and the final film may not be everybody's cup of tea... I'm confident it will be everybody's cup of Joe!
What are we doing with your money?
We’re shooting the movie this spring, mainly in West Virginia and though most of the cast and crew will be generously working for free, we still need your help to make this dream a reality!
The funds we generate will be spent largely on the following:
- $$ =Transportation (Flights, Gas, Etc...)
- $$ = Costumes and Props
- $$ = Equipment (Hand Held Rig, Lenses, Etc...)
- $$ = Meals for the Cast & Crew
- $$ = Sound Crew *It is of the utmost importance that we capture good sound
- $$ = Director of Photography
- $$ = Production Insurance
- $$ = Editing & Post Production to finish in HD
- $$ = Festival Costs
*We've listed out some delightful monetary exchanges for your generosity, which we'll be updated continually as we progress - THE PERKS!!!
We thank you for your support and contributions!
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can't contribute $$, you can still help us tremendously by spreading the word, and supporting us with your reach.
It's a grass roots effort here, and every SHARE, LIKE, REPOST, RETWEET, and EMAIL you send out to your network of friends, truly does give us a much greater chance at making our goal, and is a huge contribution in and of itself.
THE CAST:
Jonas Ball is Jerry Stax
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Tyler Evans is Terry Ruggles
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Matt Y is Dr. Magnus Xavier Buck
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minwin is Tim Blackhorn
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Arthur Milliken is Stanley Walkowski
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Stephanie Sheh is Pamela Abramovic
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Steven Rosenbaum is Steven Rosenbalm
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Nathan Johnson is Lloyd Taber
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Anya Profumo is Cat Grey
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Heidi James is Dixie Whiskey
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Sarah Jo Jones is Babee Whiskey
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Marty Laquidara is Oliver Langoustino
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Eddie Cruz is Officer Angel
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Ethan Robert Jones is Ned Planters
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And much much more to come...
