'ROCK IN A HARD PLACE' FUNDING ON KICKSTARTER
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TELEVISION INVESTMENTS
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| Rosanna Arquette |
This is a TV show that can turn up the heat for ratings and knock ‘reality’ out of the ring for ‘realism.’ Rock in a Hard Place isn’t pretty eye candy. It’s dirty, messy, and pretty much like twisted real life (just funnier). The script is written by Huffington Post contributor, David Fagin, a New York based writer, producer and musician, and his sister Stephanie, a professor of clinical psychology at Columbia and asks the question, “What if Sid Vicious survived the 70s and ended up with two ex-wives and three crazy kids?” The show is a comedic wake-up call. It features the fictional but oh-so-familiar Jewish punk legend Lance “Lint’’ Jones as he leaves rehab and is forced to live with his mother. It’s not about music (although that’s there). It is about the human element and the desire many feel to reconnect with family after years of massive screw-ups and self-destruction.
Rock in a Hard Place puts iconic fictional former punk rock front-man “Lance” at about age 50. He’s emerged from a decade or two of self-destruction and rehabilitation and is about to try and start over – sober. Only this time he emerges with 2 ex-wives, a couple of kids, and a side-order of dysfunctionality.
If you want a taste of what’s coming, check out the pilot teaser on their Kickstarter campaign. The script has been shopped around and had some heavy-weight interest but no one would commit so the producers are taking it to the street via crowdfunding to raise the $50 thousand (USD) needed to deliver this show for TV. Help them bypass the big studios and get straight to production.
So, what’s the show really about? As the campaign site explains, “It’s a show that mocks and at the same time examines the self-absorbed state of self-gratifying spiteful behaviour of the ‘Me! Me! Me!” reality culture that currently engulfs more than a little of our entertainment…” It’s also about life-long friends, family, and a man who is trying to prove he is still relevant – mostly to himself. Ultimately, it’s about how hard it is for us to forgive each other, but how amazing life can be when we do. Ourselves, included!
There are plenty of star-struck perks waiting for pledges of $5 and up. Get tweets from ‘Lint’ the star of the show, even 8x10 autographed pics. For donations of $100 or more you can get your name listed in the credits. Not to mention a cool keychain with the band’s “the Prix” logo. Want to get closer to Hollywood? For pledges of $250 you can get a personalized cast poster signed by every cast member and your name in the ‘special thanks’ section of the end credits. You’ll also get an MP3 Download. Ready to go all the way? Pledge $1000 or more and get a call from THE Rosanna Arquette thanking you for your contribution. For $10,000 you get to be an “Exec. Producer.” Not only do you get featured credit, a walk-on part for the pilot and you will be invited to a recording session with 80s mega-star Richard Marx (yes, that Richard Marx) as they record the ‘Prix’ songs for the show. Can you say #awesome!
The concept piece is full of fun and colourful characters including two polar opposite daughters: one is a Harvard Law scholar and the other a 15-year old pop-star (aka train-wreck) starlet in the making. Her persona “Shadow” is described on the campaign site as “an out of control Miley on Steroids – over-exposed to a world of money, fame and insincerity.” You’ll also find some aptly named former band-mates and some other colourful characters. Check out all the characters on the campaign site.
The show concept has been teased with becoming a pilot several times but the backers wanted the ‘big producer name’ for association. Despite the amazing script in the Hollywood business it’s about “who’s attached”. That’s why crowd-funding this show makes sense. The pilot can go direct to multiple markets; especially with the iconic Rosanna Arquette (Pulp Fiction, Ray Donovan) producing. With your support, they’ll be shooting the pilot in LA as early as February. Help bring back authentic, complicated and fun characters to TV. It costs less than a cup of coffee to get involved. Even if you can’t donate, just share the links below with everyone in your global networks.
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