JuntoBox Films, the collaborative film studio co-chaired by Forest Whitaker, has announced the eight projects and 18 filmmakers that will join its first Feature Film Incubator, which begins today and runs through December 15. As announced back in June, the Incubator is an in-depth story development and production readiness program for narrative feature film projects that can be produced for $2.5 million or less.
Of note among the selected films is "Letters from the President," which follows an idealistic young man from Cameroon who struggles to adjust to life in Los Angeles. The film is written by Tony Tambi and directed by Michael D. Olmos ("Filly Brown").
Find the full list of selected projects and additional details via the press release below.
Under the supervision of Kelly Thomas, producer and vice president of the JuntoBox Feature Film Incubator, the program creates a tailored approach for filmmakers and individual projects, customizing the curriculum to each project and their specific needs. At the end of the program, JuntoBox Films executives will greenlight at least one project to be financed and produced in the spring of 2015.
“We are thrilled to welcome this exceptional group of filmmakers with unique and captivating stories that all deserve to be made,” said Kelly Thomas. “We look forward to fostering community among filmmakers while facilitating their artistic development, honing their vision and supporting these filmmakers to drive their projects to the next level.”
The JuntoBox Films Feature Film Incubator is a three month residency and is designed to accelerate the development of film projects via group seminars as well as one-on-one meetings with industry professionals including social media strategists, distribution consultants, casting directors, and line producers. Filmmakers will work directly with these industry experts to bring each participating project to a high degree of production readiness.
Filmmakers and projects selected for the 2014 JuntoBox Feature Film Incubator include:
Die Like a Man / Eric Nazarian (writer/director), Javier Chapa (producer)
On his 13th birthday, Freddy is given a Magnum .44, a few bullets and orders to take out his mentor’s rival, a rehabilitated gangster. Will he succeed or “die like a man” with a gun in his hand?
God Loves Stu / Aldo Velasco (writer/director), David Allen Cress (producer)
In this true story, middle-aged Stu Rasmussen embarks on a journey of gender transformation, while at the same time convincing his conservative Oregon hometown to elect him as the nation’s first transgender mayor.
Good Humor / Rob Spera (director), Jared Rappaport (writer), Bonnie Curtis (producer), Julie Lynn (producer)
A comically disillusioned ice cream vendor and a sharp-tongued insurance actuary meet and form a pact to travel from Chicago to San Francisco and jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. Complications, hijinks, comedy and romance ensue.
Letters from the President / Michael D. Olmos (director), Tony Tambi (writer)
An idealistic young man leaves Cameroon to start a new life in Los Angeles, where he struggles to integrate into American society.
The Locksmith / Blair Kroeber (writer), Ted Kroeber (producer)
A small-town locksmith finds his skills put to the test when he must investigate the mysterious disappearance of a young woman.
Mullet / Rafael Del Toro (writer/director)
For the Frank Family a mullet is a rite of passage, but for 16-year-old Danny Frank, it is a social death sentence.
Operator / Logan Kibens (co-writer/director), Felipe A. Dieppa (producer)
Joe, a programmer and obsessive self-quantifier, risks losing his marriage when he models the personality for a digital voice on his wife, Emily.
White Mice / Simon Arthur (co-writer/director), Katie Holly (producer), Claire Mundell (producer)
A retired Northern Irish man kindly drives a young thief across country to reconnect with his estranged father, all the while planning to kill the thief’s father in revenge for ruining his life during The Troubles.
ABOUT JUNTOBOX FILMS
JuntoBox Films is a collaborative film studio and social community for filmmakers and fans to connect, create and ultimately, make films. JuntoBox merges the collaborative energy of a social platform with the more traditional in-house film development process including greenlighting, financing, marketing and distribution.
