Crushed: Being an Independent Filmmaker

2009-04-24T09:47:00.001-05:00

Uh, microphone check 1-2

Mummerman PSA

2009-01-29T20:25:00.004-06:00

Everyone's favorite homemade superhero, The Mummerman (and his reluctant friend Jet) are here to help educate the kids about common household dangers. Don't touch the stove!!

Coming up in the next few days, we'll also be posting another chapter in the ongoing adventures of Eddy and the Mummerman. Please check out the new video, and leave a comment!! Thanks!

CLICK HERE FOR THE SHOW!!

Superhero Crushed by Kevin Bacon!

2009-01-26T18:08:00.001-06:00

Hey folks! Yaj here,

I was informed today that one of the legit musical pieces we were interested
in using for the MummerMan movie is going to be featured in a remake of the
1984 epic thriller Footloose! Besides my heart being ripped out and thrown
on the ground just to be danced on by John Lithgow, Kevin Bacon, Chris Penn
and don't forget horse faced Sarah Jessica Parker, Someone is actually
remaking this... ahem.. movie. I guess I should expect nothing less,
because the same company we contacted also owns the rights to that fudge
packer Michael Bolton's ENTIRE COLLECTION. That's right, there's nothing
like "When a Man Loves a Woman"... So just remember

You wanna dance- you gotta pay the band,

You wanna make money - YOU GOTTA PAY THE MAN!

And I will no longer be celebrating Michael Bolton's Entire Collection..
Because I say DAMN THE MAN!

Yaj Grebednav

A Corporate Flavor of Stupid

2008-12-17T15:45:00.003-06:00

Last week Nicole, Joe and I (James) got an opportunity to perform at a corporate event in Buffalo Grove. We had all of about four days to throw 20-30 minutes of material together, and I'm very proud of how it turned out! Even though I'm still not really sure what the company does or what the meeting was about (even though Nicole has explained it to me 3 times, : ) )

We took one new sketch idea that we were planning for the upcoming stage show, we converted one of our old sketches (Training Video), and then we created a new one on the spot. They were supposed to be of either the corporate or holiday flavor. So whether it was Santa Claus calling the Federal Expenditures Oversight Office to get a piece of the Federal Bailout, or a board meeting discussing whether removing the H from all keyboards would save ink and paper. I think it all went very well, all things considered. If anything it just got the juices flowing more for our own new show after the new year!

Adventures of Mummerman

2008-12-17T15:41:00.003-06:00

A Fish Called Floaty

Update: We started shooting a short film on Sunday starring the Mummerman. Also appearing are Jet and Eddy from The Next Level. It's only going to be a few minutes long, and it just gives a little insight to the everyday problems of everyones favorite homemade superhero. The Mummerman!

All we have left to do is a few pick up shots of Eddy in the john, and we'll be all set to start post on it. Can't wait for everyone to see it!

And we weren't even drunk...

2008-11-26T17:58:00.003-06:00

Okay, so after that Monday night debacle the other night, Enough Stupid veterans Joe and Curt, helped us live up to that name. They decided that they were going to punch each other until one of them called 'uncle'. I finally turned the camera on 20 punches in...

View the video RIGHT HERE!

TO THE STAGE!

2008-11-24T23:49:00.003-06:00

We are also very excited to annouce that we are currently writing our 3rd production for the stage! This will be our first one in over two years, for most of us, Curt has had one inbetween that involved dollar bills and tears.

We don't have a title as of yet, but we are definitely open to suggestions! We went through quite the naming process last time, some of the gems before we decided on Enough Stupid: Professional Amateurs were:

Enough Stupid to Fill a Bucket
Enough Stupid to Choke a Donkey
Enough Stupid: This Show Sucks
Enough Stupid: We Got Jokes and Jokes and Jokes and Jokes
Enough Stupid: Pippy McMerry Buttons

So this time around I'm hoping we'll have an easier time of it! The other change this time around is that we will not be doing this show were we did the last to, in Chicago. This will be a venture much closer to home in Lake or Kenosha County!

So bring on the suggestions!

Here's some that I just thought of while typing this:

Enough Stupid Pity's the Fool
Enough Stupid to Go Full Circle and Then Be Smart Again
Enough Stupid: No Laughing Matter
Enough Stupid: Stupid Enough
Enough Stupid: to Go Full Circle but Then Bypass Smart Altogether to Get Back to Stupid Again.
Enough Stupid: Clown Punchers

Distribution!!

2008-11-22T17:57:00.003-06:00

Well Clubless has finally recieved distribution throughout the disc golf world! I'm happy to say that the film was well recieved and picked up late last week! There will still be more to come from Clubless, as the next plan for the film is to be submitted to multiple film festivals across the country. Specifically those that specialize in comedies, but some other mainstream ones as well. Also, once the weather turns back warm (you know, in about 9 months) we are going to hopefully start making the tournament rounds as well! Stay tuned for updates!

IN OTHER NEWS:

We recently wrapped shooting on two more short films, one being a spoof of The Twilight Zone, and another depicting the wonderful friendship between a Packers fan and a Bears fan. So along with "It Came From The Basement" that's three shorts that should be coming your way shortly! We'll post them as soon as we've finsihed makin' like third graders with the cuttin' and the pastin'. Real pretty like.

2008-11-04T21:49:00.000-06:00

Election results are in !!!

Congratulations to “Clubless – The Legend of Victor Montango”

Clubless was victorious over Barack Obama 93% to 3% for Best Disc Golf Inspired Film

Thank you to all 283,000,046 that voted for Victor Montango

Jay

Playing the waiting game...

2008-10-09T19:55:00.002-05:00

Okay, so Clubless is out in full force, and as if that wasn't time consuming enough. We are trying to also tackle a million other things. At least we are keeping busy!

The USDGC has come and gone, and we're still awaiting some feedback as far as how that went. I'm hoping that there was such a buzz and demand that they had to open the pro shop, Black Friday style, at 4 a.m.

Also we recently sent off a copy of the DVD to a possible distributor. These are the moments that by far are the most nerve-wracking and gut wrenching. When you've sent the movie out, and you're waiting to hear back. Did they like it? And even if they do, that doesn't mean always that it gets picked up. You've got to have very thick skin, because you take this project that so many people have poured their time, energy, and passion into over the last year a two months, and it's very easy for them to say Thanks, But No Thanks.

I have a lot of confidence in this picture, but that's the nature of movies. Even the greatest pictures ever made have people that don't like it. There's never been one film that everyone likes, and what if this person just happens to be one of the people that doesn't?

Clubless is unleashed on the world.

2008-10-04T02:02:00.002-05:00

The DVD is out. The DVD is available. Do what you were born to do. And then after that, purchase a copy of Clubless: The Legend of Victor Montango on DVD.

Seriously, it is not only, the greatest movie every shot on Earth; but you will feel joy so pure, that your body won't know how to process it. You will pee joy for a week. Basically.

Clink on the link to the right. Or go here.

United States Disc Golf Championship

2008-09-20T17:49:00.003-05:00

As a lot of you know, since Clubless was in it's pre-planning stages Innova Disc Golf has been very supportive of the project. They sponsored us, not with money, but rather with equipment. They were nice enough to provide free discs, t-shirts, gear, stickers, and most awesomely; a portbable disc goal so we could set up shots wherever we needed to.

They made it a lot easier for us to get this project off of the ground and have conintually shown a commitment to widen the reach of disc golf to the masses. That can't be said for every disc golf company out there ( i won't name names ).

Last week, in talking to my contact with Innova, they have extended to us, the most amazing opportunity. In less than two weeks there is the USDG Championships, where the 200 top players from all 50 states and 7 countries will compete. They have asked me to send them 250 copies of the DVD, so that they can put 1 copy in each of the players packs, as well as sell the other 50 in the pro-shop. As my wonderful friend with Innova said, "If you want to reach the disc golfing public, this is the way to do it."

SO, in a pretty monumental moment for us, the top disc golfers in the world, will soon have their very own copy of Clubless: The Legend of Victor Montango!

Clubless: The Legend of Victor Montango on DVD Sept. 30th!

2008-09-17T11:34:00.003-05:00

The DVD will be here in a couple of weeks, here's a sneek peek from inside the DVD!

The newest projects...

2008-09-12T18:41:00.003-05:00

Hello all, just a few updates on some new projects. Curt and I are about half way done with the script for Mummerman: The Movie. A comedy based on the home-made superhero created by Curt himself. We had tossed around a few ideas over the last couple of years, but I think we've finally settled on one that is going to be a big hit. A mix of the ridiculous and the serious. But mostly ridiculous. I'd say like 70/30. It's Curt in tights, so how serious can we be, right?

Please check out the teaser trailer that we shot a few weeks ago on the right hand side of the page, and leave us a comment! Good or bad? Great or terrible? The hotness or a donkey pile?

Also, two weeks back we shot a two minute horror film called "It Came From the Basement! (A realistic horror film)". We are shortly going to begin editing that, and will post it up on the site, very soon! That one stars Joe....and that's it. Just Joe, but I promise it's still good!!

More info to follow on a 2nd(yikes) film that we will be shooting next summer, think Cloverfield meets Tony & Tina's wedding! Later!!

A little background...

2008-09-10T13:01:00.001-05:00

I won't bore you with the details of our existence, only what's necessary. And since I can't tell you the 'real' way our group was conceived (all I can say is it involved two bottles of Kaopectate, sleep deprivation, and a Yoda doll) I'll just tell you the version we made up! COOL?

Since I'm assuming you've read the Who We Be section of our blog. If you haven't, you have homework to do. The original cast of Enough Stupid Starts a Fire (our original name) featured: James Hauser (me, and my giant head, photographic evidence to follow) , Joseph Goratowski (He's Irish), Erin Pallesen (wind swept hair featured) , Vita Gold (whose name has now changed due to some sort of ancient ceremonial union), and John Gray (the tall one?).

Throughout the years the cast has changed, we've added the talent of Nicole Frier (she has a healthy obsession with kitties) , and Curt Mummer (superhero). And of course we can't forget our boys on the technical side: Bennie Woodell (sweet sideburns), Jay Vandeberg (grossly underweight), and Brady Cox (or as we call him, Hotpants McChizzled).

We started originally at the Jack Benny Center for the Performing Arts in Waukegan, IL. Performing every Friday night for almost six months. Even sometimes when it was hazardous to our health and the health of our audience. I think for one show in particular there was six feet of snow on the ground outside. Honest, I have pictures. Just not here...

We eventually moved to the Chicago Actor's Studio on Milwaukee in Wicker Park, across the street from the Double Door. Those performances were fondly remembered by the heavy metal bands playing at the bar downstairs. The whole room would buzz from the bass. It was then that we realized that our ridiculously attractive faces couldn't make up for everything.

After that, we did two tours of duty ( you know, at gunpoint) at the Trap Door Theatre in Bucktown off Cortland and Paulina. Other than having to usually work around whatever set was up from the earlier show, and many times it being different from week to week, it was a fantastic place to make funny. Although mostly not on purpose.

It was during our time at the Trap Door, the summer of 2005 that we decided to make our first full length film, The Next Level. The film was a made from the plot line of one of our sketches about the People Against Proaction. We also worked about 8 sketches from our stage show into the film's plot line (not always smoothly). It was our first film, and despite it's flaws, I think it's a hilarious movie, full of laugh out loud moments. One of the best things I believe to come from the this film was the relationships that we established with local musicians for the soundtrack.

It took a year and a half but we finally premiered The Next Level on January 26th 2007 to a packed house at Gurnee Mills Marcus Cinema. That was a night I will never forget. It's those types of moments that make all of the stress, long hours, countless drafts, rewrites, and the creative disagreements that are going to come from any creative group, completely and totally worth it.

The summer that followed we began production on Clubless: The Legend of Victor Montango. Armed with lessons learned from the first time around, we were more than ready to tackle this massive undertaking. The cast tripled from our first movie, as well as the budget, locations, and shooting schedule.

The film itself, is centered around our favorite sport of Disc Golf. I had often wondered out loud to my friends and cast mates as to why there was movie about every sport imaginable (see: underwater basket weaving) but not Disc Golf. Then a very wise person said, "Make one." He kept saying other stuff about how I should stop whining about it or something but his voice just trailed off as I thought about what a brilliant idea that was. Hence, Victor Montango was born.

As smooth as the shooting went, I should have known that meant disaster in post-production. As you will soon learn, nothing ever goes smoothly for us. We have had a hard-drive crash and lost almost the entire film, had to re-edit from scratch, redo the sound work, the night before the premiere we almost weren't able to burn the DVD, had to re-work the artwork. It's been crazy. But, I am so proud of this project, that once the DVD's do come out, and we are finally expecting them at the end of September, it's going to make it all worth it.

So this is the place were we will be keeping production diaries, giving updates, insights, sharing new ideas, and just letting you know what it's like to be an independent filmmaker.

We rely on your support and feedback, so please feel free to post, email, comment, carrier pigeon, and stalk. We value all of it, and here's to more great laughs in the future!!

We've also included a sneak peek at the DVD cover for Clubless (back cover on left, front cover on right) , ENJOY!!