
About

Feature Film: THE BAD MAN
$22,442
402
APRIL 13th UPDATE! THE FINAL HOURS! Please note: More rewards have been added than appear listed along the right-hand side of the page. For the most complete and accurate description of what you'll be getting take a look at the graphics below!
JUST ADDED: In addition to what's shown below, the $50-Level Packages ALSO now include TWO 'Bad Man' condoms instead of just one!

Introducing my new movie: THE BAD MAN!
If you've enjoyed my previous films -- Found, Harvest Lake, or Plank Face -- I hope you'll join me for my latest effort. It's a tense, nighmarish tale of survival and sacrifice called The Bad Man. It’s about a young couple, Mary and PJ, who are kidnapped in their own home by a sadistic clown who wants to break their spirits and sell them into servitude to a cult of wealthy deviants. Mary holds onto her humanity through trial after trial, desperately looking for a way to escape her torment and rescue PJ from his own madness. But time is running out -- and auction day is coming... The film is about human dignity and the terrifying loss of it, as well as the valor of reclaiming it. I hope it will disturb and provoke you, and have you on the edge of your seat!

Two-thirds of the movie is already shot!
...But I need funding to complete the third act and release this dark opus on the world. By pre-ordering through Kickstarter (at the $25 Level or higher), you will be receiving a special Limited Edition release of the movie that will NOT be available anywhere else. This edition is limited to the number of Kickstarter backers and will ship in September, ahead of our planned October world premiere and well before anyone else has a chance to own the movie.

Kickstarter Exclusives!
Almost every reward in this campaign is a Kickstarter exclusive that won't be available anywhere else! -- including the Limited Edition Blu-ray itself, the autographed character postcards, special thanks credit in the movie and IMDb, the backers-only T-Shirt, the condom, the embroidered patch, the button pack, and the Illustrated Screenplay. I want to make sure Kickstarter backers get the best stuff for helping to make the movie happen!

I know there have been other crowdfunding campaigns that left backers frustrated and disappointed, but I hope my successful reputation crowdfunding for Headless, Harvest Lake, Plank Face, and Space Babes from Outer Space will relieve any of those kinds of concerns. None of my films could have been made without fans and backers, so it's my personal vow to do right by my supporters every single time. I literally couldn't do this without you!
Meet the Cast!

In case you couldn't already tell, ELLIE CHURCH is one of my favorite actresses (and people!) She burst onto the indie film scene in Brian K. Williams 'Time to Kill,' and shortly thereafter, I worked with her on 'Headless.' After I saw her perform in 'Headless,' she became a permanent go-to actor for me. I cast her in 'Harvest Lake' and 'Plank Face,' and worked with her again on Brian's 'Space Babes from Outer Space.' She has also appeared in such films as 'Frankenstein Created Bikers,' 'High on the Hog,' Albert Pyun's 'Interstellar Civil War,' and will soon be seen in the action-packed 'Johnny Z'! I asked Ellie several years ago to be my Mary in 'The Bad Man,' and she enthusiastically agreed to play the part. There aren't many actors who could endure the kind of torment Mary goes through. We really put Ellie's stamina and abilities to the test with this role, and I think audiences will be excited to see her take it to the max!

I first met ARTHUR CULLIPHER around 2000, when he responded to an ad I put in the local paper for help making one of my early movies. He did the makeup effects for several of my early films, and after a while I came to realize he wasn't just a great effects artist -- he's also a terrific actor! 'The Bad Man' was originally conceived in 2005 to be a 30-minute short. I wrote that short specifically for Arthur, so he's actually been attached to the movie longer than anyone else. Arthur knows how to move, knows how to let words dance out of his mouth, and has an uncanny ability the freak the ever-living crap out of people. In 'The Bad Man,' he's a one-man dynamo that had to be terrifying enough to give Ellie and Jason Crowe something genuinely scary to react to. There are times that Ellie and Jason don't even appear to be acting -- they are *actually* scared of Arthur. And that's pretty special. So, you already know Arthur as an effects artist and the director of 'Headless.' Now it's time to sit back and watch this f*cker act. You're gonna love it.

PJ was definitely the hardest part to cast in 'The Bad Man.' When I finished the feature-length version of the script in 2014, I didn't know if it could ever be shot until a PJ could be found. The role requires a male actor to be completely vulnerable, both physically and emotionally, and it's next-to-impossible to find men willing to open up like that on-camera for an audience. Then in 2015, I worked with JASON CROWE on a film I produced called 'The Legend of Wasco.' It was a comedic performance, but for some reason, I have always had great faith in the dramatic abilities of comedic actors. I had a hunch about Jason Crowe, so after a long day and night of shooting 'Wasco,' I mentioned the role of PJ to him. He said it sounded like a wonderful challenge. Had he not said that, I'd still be searching for my PJ. Crowe is perhaps the most fearless actor I know. I asked a lot of him, and he offered everything. On set, he blew us all away. If you only know him for his comedy, be prepared to have your mind blown.

DAVE PARKER is a film reviewer with an encyclopedic knowledge of horror, underground, and indie film. He first came to my attention when he reviewed 'Found' back in 2012. He had mostly acted in movies for Dustin Wade Mills when we decided to cast him in 'Headless.' He turned out to be a fearless, highly conscientious guy brimming with enthusiasm, and his dedication is second-to-none. He started working out three months before we started shooting 'The Bad Man,' and brought his weights with him to the set. Every morning when the cast and crew were crawling out of bed to start another day of shooting, Dave was already up and running around the block in the dead of winter. In 'The Bad Man,' he plays a mute character with animal-like instincts. I don't remember directing Dave much, outside of timing and blocking. Behavior-wise, he was perfectly in-tune with his 'animal within'. I hope you enjoy his monstrously memorable performance.
About Scott Schirmer
Scott Schirmer is an independent filmmaker based in Bloomington, Indiana. He is a commercial video producer and editor, as well as the writer and director of several films. His first feature-length film, Found, premiered at Elvira’s Horror Hunt in September 2012, where it won Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Actor. Found went on to win 39 awards at 49 festivals worldwide, including Best Picture at The Phoenix Film Festival, The New York City Horror Film Festival, and A Night of Horror Film Festival in Sydney, Australia. It was also an official selection of the 31st Annual Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and Toronto After Dark.

In 2015, Scott followed up Found by producing and editing two films with his partners at Forbidden Films LLC — the gore-filled Found spin-off Headless and the clown terror film The Legend of Wasco for Viva Pictures. Scott then formed Bandit Motion Pictures LLC with Brian K. Williams and in 2016 directed the erotic and atmospheric Harvest Lake and the primally charged Plank Face. In 2017, Scott co-produced Williams’ out-of-this-world sex comedy, Space Babes from Outer Space. Scott is currently in production on his fourth feature directorial effort, The Bad Man, while also co-producing Smut: The Movie at Forbidden Films.

Risks and challenges
Every motion picture, no matter the budget, comes with its own unique set of risks and challenges. Knowing how to handle them comes from experience and preparation. Everyone involved with "The Bad Man" has many years of hands-on production experience and we several finished films under our belts. We're confident we can solve any problems that arise during the production of "The Bad Man." We take production very seriously and plan things out in great detail prior to the shoot. But if anything does happen during the shoot that poses a special challenge, we are prepared to roll with the punches and adapt to the situation without compromising our vision for the film. Any delays in the completion of the movie or delivery of Kickstarter rewards will be communicated with all our backers through updates here at the Kickstarter homepage.
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Funding period
- (30 days)