About this project

Hi there.

My name is Duncan Skiles. I am a filmmaker in New York City, co-founder of Waverly Films. I am currently represented by Greencard New York. I've directed dozens of short films, a handful of music videos, (including one for Chiddy Bang that won and MTV Woodie award for Best Video), and a puppet cop show for Comedy Central called The Fuzz. You can see more of my work here.

The Last of The Great Romantics is my first feature film. The script is written by Waverly Films' Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer, the bright minds behind the forthcoming Bert and Arnie's Guide To Friendship.

Click PLAY VIDEO above to watch a short video about the project. 

What's the Movie About?

Cameron Hill is plumbing the depths of heartbreak, loneliness, and despair. Or so he informs the loyal viewers of his video blog after being dumped by his girlfriend Marla. Despite the fact that she was an emotionally abusive psycho from hell, Cameron is convinced Marla is the only person who will ever love him, so he spends his days shoveling his self-pity into the soulless void of the internet while wearing Marla's old pink terrycloth bathrobe.

That is until he meets his new neighbor, the fiery Kate. Kate, having only seen Cameron in the robe, shorts and flip flops, naturally mistakes him for some type of sketchy sex offender and wants nothing to do with him. However, after Cameron learns that Kate is suffering from a painful breakup herself, he sees an opportunity to work his way into her life. Kate eventually comes to see Cameron as a well-meaning goofball instead of a pathetic creepazoid and the two begin to forge a connection.

Everything is going great until Marla unexpectedly returns and wants Cameron back. Now Cameron is faced with a choice: a platonic friendship with a decent person who genuinely cares about him or having a lover who lives to make his life miserable. Hardly an easy decision if you're The Last of Great Romantics.

Why I Want To Make This Movie

1. It's very funny. And sweet. And honest. Though the material can feel sad on paper, it's treated with warmth and a light touch. The ending feels good without veering into sentimentality.

2. It's an actors' showcase. I love working with actors. This script is driven by dialogue and character, so it's very dependent on sharp performances to make it work.

3. It's produceable for a small budget. The story is essentially four characters in four locations. It was written to be produced on a very small scale - an ideal project to finance through Kickstarter. 

Production & Distribution Plan

The budget is $30,000. I am trying to raise more, but 30k is the minimum I need to get it done. 

The money will go to crew labor, equipment rental, location fees and food. I am not paying myself. 

In addition to this Kickstarter campaign, I have applied for several grants, and I plan to host a fundraising event in NYC.

Provided I have enough financing, I will shoot the movie March 2012. That's a good time to get deals on crews and equipment, because production is slow in the winter. 

If I shoot in March, the movie will be done by June 2012. I will submit it to major festivals. South by Southwest in Austin would be an ideal premiere, because it's fits the quirky sensibility. 

During the festival run, I will hire a rep to sell the film to distributors around the world. My goal is to make it available on-demand through venues like Pay-Per-View, iTunes, and Netflix.

How Kickstarter Works

If you make a commitment to contribute, and you are not charged until the deadline. If the goal is not met by the deadline, you are not charged at all. 

If you want to contribute, click the big green button that says BACK THIS PROJECT.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me here or at skilesbot@gmail.com.

Thank you for your support!