What's great about the Internet these days is we're seeing so many talented artists find success through the process of sharing. It's not just the lone Hollywood executive or low-level script reader who makes decisions now -- we all do. The power has shifted, and if something gains enough traction in social media, then you bet Hollywood will pay attention. We've seen it work with everything from the upcoming Deadpool movie to Grumpy Cat, and now the folks behind Derrick Comedy, Mystery Team and more are taking their latest project to the web in the hopes it'll get the nerd juices flowing enough to snag Hollywood's attention.
Remember that funny bearded Apple store employee from Captain America: The Winter Soldier? You probably know him from various commercials, TV appearances, stand-up routines and Twitter. He's essentially a "That guy -- I know that guy!" and his name is D.C. Pierson.
Yes, this guy.
Pierson is also a writer and he penned a wickedly amusing and inventive novel called The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To. It won awards, lots of people dug it, and now Pierson -- along with Derrick Comedy sketch group alums Dan Eckman and Meggie McFadden -- want to turn the novel into a feature film. So what they've done is put together this proof-of-concept short starring Jack Quaid (The Hunger Games) and Tony Revolori (The Grand Budapest Hotel) to attract the necessary partners to help get the film made.
Check it out below...
THE BOY WHO COULDN'T SLEEP AND NEVER HAD TO proof-of-concept from Dan Eckman on Vimeo.
Here's a full synopsis now that you're all like, "Oh that's pretty rad -- what's up with this thing?"
The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep And Never Had To is a coming-of-age sci-fi adventure in the tradition of Back To The Future, with classic teen-movie themes like friendship, first love, and betrayal playing out on a superhuman scale.
Darren, a high school outcast whose only refuge is his homemade comic book, gets launched into an adventure way cooler than anything he could dream up when he discovers his best friend has no biological need for sleep and can bring their dreams into reality.
Composed of equal parts action, humor, and heart, this story of a comic book fan who finds himself in a real-life superhero movie will make audiences believe that anything is possible.
If you dig it, share it. And go pick up the book if you haven't read it yet -- it's fun stuff. Stay tuned for more news as it drops, and let us know what you think! Is this a film you'd like to see become a reality?
