A film by Gil Luna
To break a fifty-year curse, descendants from the present-day attempt to escape hell with their dead relatives from the 1930s and 1980s by saving them from their discriminatory ways when Lucifer traps them in the underworld.
"The Bobbsey Twins Go to Hell" opens with Nan and Bert Bobbsey, two young affluent naïve racists, who wrongly accuse their Black servants, Dinah and Sam Johnson, of theft. In retaliation, Dinah places a hex on the Bobbsey family, condemning them to hell.
In the 1980s, descendants of the Bobbsey family, Flossie and Freddie, embark on a journey to rescue their ancestors from hell. They believe they will break the curse if they succeed in their quest. Lucifer, A.K.A "Luci," outwits them and their mission is a miserable failure.
The story moves forward to the present day where Lorelei and Gen, descendants of the Bobbsey and Johnson families respectively, make another attempt to save their ancestors. This is their final chance to break the curse, as failure will result in Luci acquiring all their souls for eternity.
"The story of the Bobbsey Twins is a character-driven narrative, dark comedy, written to inform viewers of all generations about the brutal track record of our historical legacy and how far we still have to go before achieving an all-inclusive society. We're still separated by prejudices and haven't advanced far enough to give people of color proper representation. This film will open your eyes." ~Gil Luna
Nan is the most clever of the Bobbsey children and charming above all. She could sell rain to an Oregonian. A pair of VR goggles to Helen Keller. Oil shares to Greta Thunberg. Nan is the boss. The ring leader. The control freak. She always gets what she wants."
Bert is kind, accepting, and simple. Not simple like Lennie in that Steinbeck novella. More like Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler in most of their movies. His only real fault is his adoration for Nan who he’d follow to the moon. He trusts her like a puppy trusts a neglectful animal abuser."
Flossie is a domineering little ball of fire who, when presented with any challenge, never gives up until the job is done or she dies trying. Which, rarely ever happened. She's a fighter and will brawl for her family no matter the cost.
Freddie is a lazy son-of-a-bitch who crumbles in the face of a challenge. He prefers things to be easy or it will trigger an anxiety attack, otherwise known as, a tantrum back then. As an adult, Freddie is a slacker, an addict, and a gambler who never wins. He's a real piece of work.
Lorelei is a Mexican descendant of an interracial marriage with the Bobbsey family. Her goal is to rescue and restore her family to its former glory. She's strong-willed, free-spirited, and smart. Just like the Bobbsey women before her, she doesn't let anything get in her way. She's a leader.
Gen is a Non-Binary African American who accompanies Lorelei on her journey to hell. Their family was wronged by the Bobbsey's and their job is to find a way to forgive them. They're a child of the 2000s with a flamboyant sense of flare, finesse, and moral obligation.
Lucifer, "Luci", is the devil. Literally. She owns the underworld and lets everyone know it. As the protagonist, her job is simple: once someone enters hell, she won't let them leave. She's like Hotel California if it had a menstrual cycle. She's intelligent, wise, and narcissistic. Just as you'd expect her to be. She's a badass.
The major themes explored in this film are presented within a string of concepts that separate us, like decades of beliefs, traditions, and cultural differences. The ideas expressed in this satire are ironic and controversial. Through humor, all societal perspectives are dissected with delicate precision. The intention is to broaden the understanding of those who seek to censure past viewpoints by comparing them to the complex thoughts of today. Convictions from the 1930s are juxtaposed with the ideals of the 1980s and those of the present when the characters are pushed to confront the values of the past. It's decided that no historical time frame, trend, nor opinion is entirely devoid of misconduct and change is still necessary to progress into an inclusive future.
Each era in the film has unique look. The 1930s portion of this film is displayed as if filmed from an old camera. The 1980s will look like a VHS-style recording. When the characters emerge in the present, the style changes again. Luci's hell, of course, is always the highest resolution!
We're planning to use two Blackmagic cameras for a two-camera shoot for the highest efficiency in Anamorphic, RAW digital format to capture the color vibrance and scene details.
Camera: Blackmagic 6k
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic
Run Time: 90 minutes
Lenses: Canon and Sigma Lenses
Image: sample shot on BMPCC 6k
Once we raise the first 75k through private equity we'll apply for the Oregon incentive program that could provide up to 20% of the budget.
Budget: TBD
Sources:
Private equity, Oregon incentive program. Donated sources are included such as camera packages, locations, service trades, and backend deals. Editing, VFX, and Sound Design will also be done by Gil Luna.
Returns will come through distribution sources, both Domestic and International, from online streaming on a variety of platforms.
Investments will return to investors first, before recouping film costs. Profits will be counted after all parties have been repaid.
A writer, director, and producer, Luna has worked on several films including the award-winning feature film, Population: 2, which screened at several festivals and was released worldwide. Luna is now a writer for The Asylum films. He has been working in the industry for nearly 30 years and is considered a dedicated artist and filmmaker using his myriad of experiences to address controversial issues in his projects.
Kenneth Luba, Cinematographer/Director of Photography, Camera Operator,
brings a history of over 45 years in the Film and Video industry. That, combined
with a college degree in painting and fine arts, conveys a sensibility of light and
composition to his images that is unmatched.
Teaser from 2005 short format film.
Would you like to find out more about our project? Send us a message, and we will get back to you soon.
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