Festival Winner: “Boxes Boxes Boxes”

Our film festival run has officially come to an end with “Boxes Boxes Boxes”, and we are honored to bring home so many laurels! Congrats to our small and mighty team!
Oregon Short Film Festival – BEST COMEDY FILM WINNER (2022)
Austin Comedy Film Festival – BEST COMEDY FILM FINALIST (2022)
Portland Comedy Film Festival – BEST DIRECTOR WINNER (Spring 2022)
Portland Comedy Film Festival – BEST ENSEMBLE CAST FINALIST (Winter 2022)
Global Film Festival Awards – BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM (2022)
LACA: Los Angeles Cinematography Awards – BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM (2022)
Philadelphia Independent Film Festival – OFFICIAL SELECTION (2022)
Global Shorts Film Festival – BEST SHORT FILM FINALIST (2022)
Rainforest Poster_Final

Aerobitards Sweeps Film Festivals

Aerobitards is a fun passion project that our team had been developing for several years. On the surface level, Aerobitards is a parody of a fitness program infomercial. But as you go deeper, you will discover a whole cultish world that lies beneath. Head writer of Aerobitards, David Monster, is an ex-Scientologist. Through his detailed descriptions of his experience in the church, we became very inspired to utilize some of the same intensity and strategies with which this infamous organization operates, to create something completely original. In David’s own words: “Scientology has scarred the mind and psyche of the writer so deeply, we thought it would be cathartic to find the humor in it. Also, fitness has become such a huge and obnoxious industry, and very cult-like. Marrying the two just seemed right.”

SYNOPSIS – Aerobitards is a scientifically proven and designed method of living life at a level never before seen on this planet. The key to the success of this program is in its specially-engineered apparel: The Aerobitard! Take the first step on The Path to Total Fitness, and watch their Orientation Video. Welcome to the upper 1% of the upper 1% of the Human Race, where nothing less than all-consuming devotion is tolerated.

Feature Documentary Film “The Way to Kevin”

Reel 9 Production’s first feature documentary film, “The Way To Kevin,” follows Minister/Mime/Adult Entertainer, Kevin Mines, as he launches his own adult film company while maintaining his strong Christian identity. ‘The Way to Kevin” premiered at the Philadelphia Film Festival in 2011, was honored with the Gold Award at the California Film Awards and has gone on to screen at film festivals all over the world including Qfest, Cinedelphia, Black Alphabet Film Festival, Mixfest, Q Festival, MICGenero Film Festival and more. Watch the trailer here:

Enjoy some images from our digital film festival scrapbook below, as well as the original soundtrack written by Nervous Robot! DVD’s of the film are available to purchase. Contact us directly if you’d like to order one!

Comedy Short Film “Yes, And I Do” Wins Big

‘Yes, And I Do!’ premiered at the LA Scripted Comedy Festival hosted by iO West in Hollywood, where it won the top prize against many other impressive films. It also went on to screen at the Chicago Comedy Film Festival where the team got to rub shoulders with Jane Lynch after she was honored with a lifetime achievement award. This short piece, poking fun at the comedy improv community, also won “Best Micro Short” at the Austin Short Comedy Film Festival, was honored as a Global Shorts Winner, and had a digital screening at the Fanboy Film Festival. Check out some images from this fun journey below as well as a link to watch the film!

The Unimaginary Friendcast Celebrates 300 episodes and counting!

 

Reel 9 Productions launched their comedy division Unimaginary Friend in 2013, and two years later Erin, Nathan, and David unveiled a weekly Variety Show podcast called The Unimaginary Friendcast. The entire catalogue of episodes can be found on iTunes and Google Play for free. Below you’ll find a few of our favorite moments throughout the years!

In April of 2020 we had the honor of interviewing Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. Watch that episode here:

In September of 2023 the Friendcast celebrated their 300th episode by producing a very special filmed episode which you can watch here: 

Below is a small sample of some of our guests and topics over the years. 

Total Trip Domination, an Original Comedy Travel Show releases Season 1!

Total Trip Domination: You! Edition, is an original 7 episode comedy Travel Show Extravaganza! Watch as Mark and Linda, two quirky and under-qualified travel show hosts, explore world destinations selected by fans while on a shoestring budget. Each adventure tests their ineptitude in new and unexpected ways.

Total Trip Domination is not your average travel show. It takes elements from scripted/improv/reality/comedy styles to create a unique experience for the viewer.  The hosts respect and highlight each unique destination by providing helpful travel tips and tons of stunning visuals, but at the same time keeping a bizarre comedic and playful tone. Part of the fun is that there’s NO CREW and the hosts are on their own in each location with 2 cameras, in charge of filming everything themselves. In the spirit of Survivorman, they set up tripods, or use a Go Pro on a stick to get the perfect shots.

Enjoy all 7 episodes of Season 1 here, and some additional photos below from the first season:

The Crack, an experimental short that challenges the rules of filmmaking

An unexpected gift from the ocean interrupts Helen and Roger’s day at the beach, threatening their measured lives and hurling them down a rabbit hole of self­ discovery. “The Crack” explores the pivotal shift in the lives of Helen and Roger, two extremely ordinary citizens, who have taken a day to themselves at the beach. Content to soak in the sun and natural beauty, the ocean delivers an unexpected invitation to a world and life beyond the edge of their known reality. Like a fault­line splitting under the immense pressure of shifting geological plates, The Crack will shatter your artistic sense of reason and tickle your good, whimsical taste. A rift in time? A portal through space? What hides amongst the froth of the waves striking hard on sea side rocks?

The Crack, which premiered at the Other Venice Film Festival, was a very experimental undertaking. The idea was to try to do everything ourselves, challenge the idea of what filmmaking is and can be, see what we could make. So we wrote, acted, directed, produced, edited, this unique short film, off­beat, bizarre, period piece, silent film comedy. We had a very unique musical team create a completely original score which beautifully complements the absurdity and depth.  If you choose to watch this piece searching for hidden meaning, you will find it. If you choose to skim the surface and embrace the strange actions and childish humor, you will be satisfied as well. Watch the full film here!

“Meat Man” An Original Musical

“Meat Man” is a completely original live musical theater production, which premiered at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, and was later released as a short film on the film festival circuit. Meat Man enjoyed a mainly sold out theater run at the Adrienne Theater in Philadelphia and was honored at the Creative Arts Film Festival, NewFilmmakers Film Festival, was an Accolade competition winner and was also nominated for 5 Perfect Spirit Film Awards including:

  • Best Original Screenplay
  • Best Action Adventure Short Film
  • Best Original Score
  • Best Actor (Michael Melton)
  • Best Actress (Emily Grove)

Get the Original Meat Man Soundtrack on AmazonAndriod Market, or Spotify! Enjoy some behind the scenes photos from our film and stage rehearsals:

“Number 9,” Reel 9’s first film turns 10 years old!

“Number 9” was Reel 9 Production’s first film, shot in 2009 with an old grainy camera. Highlights include jaw-dropping scenery from the famous Eastern State Penitentiary and an epic original score by the talented Andrew Alburn.  Abandoned for over thirty-five years, this old Penitentiary lies in ruin. Upon his visit in 1842, Charles Dickens once described the effects of Eastern State upon its inhabitants as having a “slow and daily tampering with the mysteries of the brain,” which he viewed as “immeasurably worse than any torture of the body.” On the surface this film is the story of a man trying to find a means of escape; however, the viewer is confronted with their own interpretation of what it means to be trapped or truly free.