This project started out with just some video clips that we took while walking around our house on the Jordan River Parkway trail.  Our friends and married actors Doug Schnieder and Jessica Scherr had just arrived in town from NYC and were staying with us in SLC  before we all headed up to Park City for the Sundance Film Festival.

As we walked around getting some fresh air and them shaking off jet lag, we all said that we should make a film together sometime soon. So I playfully took out my new IPhone 6s and started recording video. We improved some scenes and played around with no real movie or script in mind. Jokingly it became about a Hobo Cop who travels back in time to stop Donald Trump from destroying the world when he wins the presidential election in 2016.

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We came home from our walk and I used the IMovie app on my IPhone to create a movie trailer with music and credits in about half an hour. The trailer didn’t really make any sense and just had a lot of action scenes through out. “It did look like a movie you would watch but the trailer doesn’t tell you much”, was a comment we got a lot after showing it to people.

The very first movie trailer. 

We went to the Film Festival and now we had a project that we were pitching at Sundance every time someone would ask what we were doing here I would whip out my phone and show them “Time Traveling Hobo Cop”. It was fun to see the expressions of people faces after they watched it. They couldn’t tell if it was serious or a joke.

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Our entire group that we were hanging with (Actors and Comedians) were in on it and we all pitched it as if it was a real project that we were looking for a deal to make the tv series or movie happen. We posted on social media pictures of us pitching the idea to people.

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Even a pic of Judd Appatows back when we were in the same Eddie Bauer comfort suite as him.

We said that we were meeting with people about "TTHC" to see what they thought. The thing is once you post something on social media platforms you make it become “Facebook Real”, it becomes real to many people. I don't know how they could be confused. Does this picture look like we are having a meeting with Judd? Maybe, kind of, ok it does but we didn't. 

Last year when people asked why are you here? I would say for the free stuff and food. That was great until at one party it was the company rep. who was  putting on the party and he didn't find it so funny that I was just there mooching his expensive stuff. (Still got the free swag, a T- shirt, and I wear it all the time in public #filmworthy, thanks Kodak). So what started out as just having something silly and fun to show people at Sundance this year when they asked “what are you doing here?” actually started getting attention. I had several people ask when the film was coming out and when could they see it. This lasted through the entire film festival and I thought it would die down when it was over but after it was over I would still randomly get asked about it. Enough that I would keep thinking about it and decided it would be a fun project to test out my new IPad and see what I could do with the videos we had taken through out Sundance film festival. I ended up writing a script to help piece together the videos we had with somewhat of a storyline. My friend, fellow comedian and actor Joe Everard stepped up and played a key role in getting the footage we needed to finish the short film. I was then able to piece together and edit what we had into a short film/ pilot. 

Here is a trailer for the completed short film. This one makes a little bit more sense and explains the story a little bit better. Funny how if you have a plan it takes less time and works out better usually. 

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There are three distinct sections to this short. It is somewhat of a disjointed story line. It is not really a true beginning, middle and end. It’s more of a short movie introducing a story line for a longer movie or series.

The first part is a voice over explaining the status of the world and setting the time frame for which the film takes place. It also gives some information about Hobo Cop, who he is and why he is on a mission to save the world.

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The second part begins with two men sitting across from each other in chairs with a folding table between them. One man appears to be interrogating the other, as if he is a detective asking questions. The other man is answering as best he can. The story is moved along by this dialogue between the two men. One interrogating the other.

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We see photos and video clips also being used to help tell the story and give as much information about what is going on. We learn what Hobo Cops mission is specifically and what is expected to happen after he completes it. As the interview comes to an end we find out that this has been a practice run for a real interview with a police detective after Hobo Cop completes his mission. We also find out the fate the higher powers have planned for Hobo Cop after he has honorable done his duty and achieved the task he has been sent back in time to complete. The man being interviewed is being sent back in time and his mission is to be the witness that makes sure Hobo Cop is framed for the missing person and possible murder of…the Trump voter.

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The third part is a montage of photos showing the night hobo cops mission was to come to fruition. The night a murder was supposed to have taken place. It looks like the man that has been sent back to frame Hobo Cop has been there awhile but is definitely in place to do his part. He has befriended the targeted victims as well as hobo cop and the fembots. It looks like a great night of partying and fun being had by all.

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The montage ends and cuts to a close up shot of the man who was being interviewed. He has long hair and beard and talks directly into the camera as if by doing so he is talking to the people in the future with the video recording. He clearly is shaken and scared. He looks over both shoulders and then stares directly into the camera and says…..

Thanks for reading this blog post and all your support in making this project. The short film "Time Traveling Hobo Cop" will be having it's premiere release on September 7th 2016. 

Interesting Fun Facts: 

Some interesting fun facts about this project is that all the video was shot with an IPhone 6s. All the editing was done using IMovie on an IPad. All the music was created using GarageBand on an IPad. The script was written in Word on an IPad, well the half with a script. Also the short film/ pilot episode was technically made backwards. We just started filming then decided on a storyline, I wrote the script using the video clips that we had shot already and then filmed some more stuff to fill in the blanks of the storyline. Edited the entire movie together and showed it to the actors, then got permission from all the actors to use their likeness in the movie after they had watched it. Thanks to all who participated and sent encouragement during the process to get this project completed. Especially my beautiful supportive bride Teresa.