THE GREAT DIVIDE
by The Great Divide Movie LLC
When NY-Times bestselling novelist John Skipp joined an acting class with a wonderfully diverse group of talented actors, he was so inspired he wrote a screenplay tailored to each of their unique gifts. And now we're making the movie!
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We invite you to feel the thrill and camaraderie of being part of our creative filmmaking community!
WHY WE'RE CROWDFUNDING
Our initial campaign goal of $25K will be used to secure gear, wardrobe, and production design, pay our skeleton crew, and feed our 20-person cast during the 10-day shoot, slated for March 2024. We are honored to be able to create work for our talented PNW filmmakers and couldn't do it without your support! PLUS, all donations are tax-deductible!
LOGLINE
When the world’s richest woman finally dies, her dysfunctional family gathers to see who gets which slice of the multi-billion dollar pie. What follows is a hilarious untangling of lies and betrayal.
HOW THE GREAT DIVIDE CAME TO BE
The film was conceived by the Thursday morning students at The Actor's Lab in Portland, OR. This diverse group of actors is so talented and committed and genuine that writer/director John Skipp, himself a student in the class, found himself thinking, "We need to make a movie where every single one of them is written a dream role that truly showcases their talent. And it needs to be a real movie, with real production value, so that people can see them." And the more Skipp worked with them, the more he realized that they had a phenomenal ensemble. Twenty actors, ranging in age from 23 to 67. All unique. All gifted. All incredibly sweet and open, with a palpable chemistry.
So Skipp decided to write a feature for the full ensemble, giving every single actor a role built entirely to their strengths. Over the course of the next six weeks, Skipp met with the Thursday morning actors, collaborating with each of them on their characters, while the story took shape. The result is The Great Divide -- a dark comedy and social satire about wealth inequality, dysfunctional families, and the meaning of life.
THE STORY
Frances Anne McMann was older and richer than God: the sole heir to a robber baron fortune dating back to America’s plunder-filled earliest days. When Granny Fanny (as she was not-so-fondly called behind her back) finally dies at the age of 98, her three known children and their families gather after the wake at youngest daughter Olivia’s home. Ostensibly, it’s a “celebration of life,” but the not-so-secret truth is that nobody is celebrating Granny Fanny and everybody is vying for their slice of the multi-billion dollar pie.
That’s when a series of freaky surprises start to fall like a hailstorm of dominoes. A mysterious phone call from the last two people to see Frances alive during her final days of hospice care. An unexpected appearance by gonzo investigative journalist Nick Blank, who claims to be Granny Fanny’s bastard son. And an array of colorful characters who round out the ensemble and provide glimpses into the deep dysfunction of the McMann clan.
That’s when a series of freaky surprises start to fall like a hailstorm of dominoes. A mysterious phone call from the last two people to see Frances alive during her final days of hospice care. An unexpected appearance by gonzo investigative journalist Nick Blank, who claims to be Granny Fanny’s bastard son. And an array of colorful characters who round out the ensemble and provide glimpses into the deep dysfunction of the McMann clan.
ABOUT JOHN SKIPP
John Skipp is a NY Times bestselling novelist-turned-filmmaker whose books have sold millions of copies in a dozen languages worldwide. He is the recipient of the 2021 Splatterpunk Lifetime Achievement Award, which encapsulates a long, colorful career as a Saturn award-winning filmmaker (Tales of Halloween), Stoker Award-winning anthologist (Demons, Mondo Zombie), and New York Times bestselling author (The Light at the End, The Scream.) IMDB
ABOUT THE SCORE
Writer/Director/Composer John Skipp has written a dozen songs and instrumental compositions for the score, singing and playing or programming almost all the instruments (electric and acoustic guitars, bass, drums, percussion, piano, organ, synthesizers, and digital brass and strings).
Skipp's inspirations included jazz-inflected '60's caper film scores by Henry Mancini, as well as whiskey-soaked New Orleans gospel, '70's hippie folk rock, '90's riot grrrrl and electronic dance music, mirroring the wide range of age groups in this multi-generational saga.
Skipp's inspirations included jazz-inflected '60's caper film scores by Henry Mancini, as well as whiskey-soaked New Orleans gospel, '70's hippie folk rock, '90's riot grrrrl and electronic dance music, mirroring the wide range of age groups in this multi-generational saga.
The sax on the opening credit theme ("Fish in a Barrel") and sprinkled throughout the score was provided by legendary jazz virtuoso Doug Webb. So, the man who played Lisa Simpson's riffs in the opening credits for THE SIMPSONS also plays on the opening credits to our film! HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!?
THE ENSEMBLE CAST
SUPPORT
$16,095 RAISED
$25,000 GOAL
| This Appeal | 73 | 64% |
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This appeal has ended.