LOS ANGELES — Several months ago Maurice Kelly and George Blumetti, independent writer-director-producers living in Los Angeles , were contacted by a friend, Tom, who had joined the army as
a medic overseas. Upon arriving in Baghdad , he began striking up friendships with the troop members, all of whom were not only concerned by the situation in Iraq , but also the ever worsening economic situation back in the US . Many of them had young families or older parents to support and they needed a plan giving them some faith that the danger pay they were sending home would not go up in smoke amid the ever widening financial mess. Tom asked Maurice and George if they could put together a film funded by the troops.
After making some calls they set things in motion. The film is a post apocalyptic thriller entitled “2084”, set in the near future and involving a group of neighbors confined to a quarantined building. It deals with their ever worsening plight. The fact that in the story, written several years ago, a viral pandemic has forced everyone inside was made all the more timely following shooting when the new global flu pandemic actually did appear in the U.S. and began spreading just as it unfolds in the films beginning.
Tom asked Maurice and George if they could do one of their scripts on the cheap and they made some calls. The fact that it was to help out the troops went a long way. Living in Los Angeles helped. Maurice and George were able to pick up the phone and have lights, cameras and a soundstage for almost nothing, with everyone willing to help out. The response was amazing. An award nominated crew, as well as a wonderful cast, all jumped on board.
Despite the unique funding situation involving the soldiers, the team was able to secure a wonderful cast including Billy West (the voice of Ren & Stimpy and Futurama) and Betsy Baker (Evil Dead). Shot in eleven days in March the film is currently in post production. During the shoot there was a live camera feed between the soundstage in Los Angeles and the soldiers in Baghdad so they could watch the filming as well as interact with cast and crew simultaneously.
Please visit www.2084movie.com for more info or contact Kaitlin@rms-biz.com for a chance to interview the investors/soldiers from the 2nd of the Fifth, 3rd BCT battalion, still in Baghdad today.
