‘The Esquire’ Goes Back Down the Rabbit Hole with Jejune Institute Leader Octavio Coleman
Here’s your daily dose of an indie film, web series, TV pilot, what-have-you in progress — at the end of the week, you’ll have the chance to vote for your favorite.
In the meantime: Is this a project you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.
Logline: Nearing the end of his life, a defrocked guru from the 60’s lures the son he’s never met into creating a film about his extraordinary and bizarre life.
Elevator Pitch:
It’s a sequel to the 2013 Slamdance documentary hit, “The Institute,” which highlighted the life of Octavio Coleman, a deranged cult leader from the ’60s. In the world of our sequel, Coleman hated his portrayal in the documentary and has taken it upon himself to set the record straight. He has an adult son whom he’s never met; Wylie, a struggling filmmaker neck-deep in debt, who is trying to support a family of his own. Coleman slowly lures Wylie into directing the “true” story of his life, and down the rabbit hole they go.
Production Team:
Spencer McCall: Director, Executive Producer, Co-Writer (Director, “The Institute,” 2013)
Wylie Herman: Co-Producer, Co-Writer (Producer, “The Toll,” 2015)
Arye Michael Bender: Co-Writer (Co-Star, “The Institute,” 2013)
About the Film:
After the relative success of “The Institute,” I found myself wanting to dive back into that world. It’s a place where literally anything can happen, and any assumptions you have about life, love, or even the nature of the universe can be flipped on its head. What better place to explore the dynamics of an eccentric old man trying desperately to connect with the son he has yet to meet? Plus, fans of the original documentary have been asking about access to new experiences here in the “real” world. This film might offer a door to them.
Current Status: Principal photography is complete. Raising funds on Indiegogo for flashback sequences and post.
Got a project that you’d like to be featured? Submit to Project of the Day!
