blog

Circumstantial flummery from a would-be spoonbean hustler.

We don’t need no stinkin badges…

Well, here I am again, in pre-production. Excited. Terrified. Occupying an emotional tilt that could be likened to the climax of the 1986 film SPACE CAMP— wherein the Space Shuttle Atlantis is low on oxygen, has missed the last safe re-entry window, and is actively de-orbiting whether it has an LZ or not. Perhaps I’m 12-year-old Joaquin Phoenix in this scenario, too enthusiastic and naive to truly appreciate the danger. But it’s happening.

We won't acknowledge the Challenger disaster.

With ‘Merit Badges’ we’ll meet a misfit band of girl scouts who face off with a pair of thieves while trying to hustle enough cookies to get to the Jamboree. As a narrative short film it’s just a tad less complicated than my usual preoccupation with international financial conspiracies and period epic dramas but hopefully a bit more accessible. We’re chasing locations and talent right now, but I’m hoping we’ll have something really fun to share with everyone in a few months.

I’m also really elated to be working with Kieran Moreia and Paul Frateschi on the project, both seasoned and super talented dudes I had the pleasure of  working with on ‘Harbinger‘. Hopefully my script and temperament won’t sabotage us but thankfully, support from friends and local film folks have muted some of that iniquitous inner-monologue. Special shout-out to mah writing peeps from The Left Door, Triangle Filmmaking Community and Trifilm Society for the positive encouragement and feedback as I’m worthless without external validation.

Surely Tom Skerritt will save us all.

So if you’re curious, keep an eye out for progress regarding this project. I’ll be posting more throughout the interwebz and social medias as we head into production.