The Big Game

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

My name is Stephen Musumeci, a filmmaker from Tampa, FL.

As a former diehard Florida Gators fan, I've experienced the extreme lengths that fans will go to never miss a game. I vividly remember driving from Tampa to Gainesville for the annual UF vs FSU game when my dad began experiencing heart palpitations and intense chest pain. After driving a few more miles down the road, he decided it was best to head home and check into a hospital. The stress from the upcoming game was too much for him to handle. We eventually found ourselves huddled around the small TV in his hospital room, cheering as the Gators beat the Seminoles in an important victory.

To me, sports fandom has been the perfect setting for a hilarious and tragic story. It's a common bridge that connects many people in uncomfortable situations and is the ultimate always-on distraction when facing emotions that are difficult. It also fosters a relentless loyalty expressed through sporadic emotion and endless merchandise.

Showing this world as objectively as possible will help audiences find comedy in situations that might otherwise be tragic, and create a very specific, unsettling tone I am searching for. The style will mostly revolve around tableau wide shots with closer coverage only being utilized when a wider shot would be limiting the emotion of a scene. The performance style will also reflect something closer to the uncanny valley versus true reality. I am a firm believer that less is more. I have made two short films in the past that I feel used this style effectively and I feel prepared to refine the approach on a feature film. Think: Roy Andersson set in Florida's suburbs.

Watch one of Stephen's previous short films for a taste of this approach:

THE ORTHODONTIST'S SON

OUR AUDIENCE

This film will activate audiences of WHITE LOTUS, THE LOBSTER and SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK. Our unique tone, hilarious characters and captivating cinematography will usher our audiences deeper into the world of suburban watch parties and impressive man caves.

Additionally, The Big Game taps into the massive $530 billion spending power of college sports fans who spend approximately $3.5 billion annually on college licensed apparel and merchandise alone—representing an enormous market. With over 155 million people identifying as college football fans (5.86 million identifying as Florida Gator’s fans), the built-in audience for The Big Game is huge.

For more information on the spending power and demographics of college sports fans, check out the Intercollegiate Fan Report from Learfield.

OUR BUSINESS PLAN

Our financing will go entirely towards the production of this feature film; our location rentals, our crew, and our cast.

Stephen will edit the film at Jim's upcoming post house in Los Angeles. We receive zero payment as creators from this WeFunder as our contracts are organized to give our investors privileged returns so that they see their complete ROI before we see a dollar.

In the event of coming in under budget, those remaining funds will roll entirely into the digital marketing of the film, to get as many eyeballs on the movie as possible.

See here for the case study by the Sundance Institute.

Forward-looking projections are not guaranteed.

You the investor, will make back 125% of your initial investment PLUS 30% of Net Profits. Investing in this WeFunder means investing in our company, The Big Game Movie LLC. 

THUNDER ROAD: A CASE STUDY

We made the feature film THUNDER ROAD for $190,000 in Austin in 14 days. The film has made over $400,000 in the first year alone through self-distribution, doubling its budget in ticket sales for the first two weeks in French cinemas. We produced, edited, marketed, and distributed the film around the world by ourselves. It won the Grand Jury Prize at South by Southwest in 2018, screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, and has won awards at film festivals everywhere.

Additional work by our team:

PERKS

As a small way to show our gratitude, we've put together some sweet Perks just for our WeFunder investors.

You are now at the highest level of our team as an Executive Producer, complete with an IMDb credit. Your tremendous support means the world to us and we are excited to have you on board. You'll be involved throughout every stage of production including our world premiere and festival red carpets!

• Executive Producer credit on IMDb and on-screen
• 2 tickets to the film's premiere screening (travel/lodging not covered)
• Limited edition signed poster
• 1/1 prop from production
• Company logo in end credits
• Week long visit to set (travel/lodging not covered)
• Annotated shooting script
• Limited edition NFT from The Big Game
• Thank you card from the crew
• Your chance to be a background extra in a pivotal scene (travel/lodging not covered)
• Shout out on social media
• Private link to the completed film

Thank you for your incredible support. It means the world to us. You are now a pivotal member of our team as a Co-Producer. You will receive an IMDb credit and we can't wait to see you at our private Tampa screening and reception!

• Co-Producer credit on IMDb and on-screen
• Invitation to cast/crew screening at the Historic Tampa Theatre (travel/lodging not covered)
• 3-day visit to set (travel/lodging not covered)
• Limited edition signed poster
• 1/1 prop from production
• Annotated shooting script
• Limited edition NFT from The Big Game
• Thank you card from the crew
• Your chance to be a background extra in a pivotal scene (travel/lodging not covered)
• Shout out on social media
• Private link to the completed film

You have earned yourself a spot on the team. We are eternally grateful for your support. Join us on set and take part in the action. You will receive an Associate Producer credit in the film and on IMDB. Thank you for your support and welcome to The Big Game!

• Associate Producer credit on IMDb and on-screen
• 1-day visit to set (travel/lodging not covered)
• Limited edition signed poster
• 1/1 prop from production
• Annotated shooting script
• Limited edition NFT from The Big Game
• Thank you card from the crew
• Your chance to be a background extra in a pivotal scene (travel/lodging not covered)
• Shout out on social media
• Private link to the completed film

Enjoy the comfort of your box seats as a VIP Booster, you earned it. While you're up there, dig into your exclusive merchandise package that includes a limited edition signed poster from The Big Game AND a 1/1 prop from the production of the film. Thank you for your support and welcome to The Big Game!

• Limited edition signed poster
• 1/1 prop from production
• Annotated script
• Limited edition NFT from The Big Game
• A very special thanks credit listed on IMDb and on-screen
• Thank you card from the crew
• Your chance to be a background extra in a pivotal scene (travel/lodging not covered)
• Shout out on social media
• Private link to the completed film

Boosters deserve special treatment. Get a look behind the scenes with your very own annotated script AND proudly display your Limited Edition NFT from The Big Game. Thank you for your support and welcome to The Big Game!

• Annotated Script
• Limited Edition NFT
• A Very Special Thanks listed on IMDb and on-screen
• Thank you card from the crew
• Your chance to be a background extra in a pivotal scene (travel/lodging not covered)
• Shout out on social media
• Private link to the completed film

Superfans are the life blood of a team. Their passion and excitement get the crowd going! Thank you for your support and welcome to The Big Game!

• A Very Special Thanks listed on IMDb and on-screen
• Thank you card from the crew
• Your chance to be a background extra in a pivotal scene (travel/lodging not covered)
• Shout out on social media
• Private link to the completed film

A team is nothing without their fans. Thank you for your support and welcome to The Big Game!

• Special Thanks credit listed on IMDb and on-screen
• Shout out on social media
• Private link to the completed film

CONTACT

If you'd like to setup a call, please email us at: [email protected]

Disclaimer: This film is a work of fiction. Neither The University of Florida, nor any of their subsidiaries, affiliates, related companies, officers, employees, contractors, and/or agents, have any involvement in the production of this film. No sponsorship or endorsement by The University of Florida, its teams, sponsors, or players is intended or should be implied.