Set In a West Virginia mining town, Roy G. Biv follows retired coal miner Carl Short, 65, as he seeks refuge for his mentally handicapped son Sammy, 40. Carl is dying of Black Lung. Every breath he takes requires a hero's effort.
After his wife died several years ago, Carl became Sammy's sole caretaker. He has grown extremely close to his son and relishes their time spent together. The two men have developed a daily routine that Sammy finds very comforting. He is very much a creature of habit.
Although this routine has become increasingly difficult for Carl with the progression of his illness, Sammy seems only minimally conscious of his father's condition. Carl's stoicism and sense of humor belie his troubles and keep Sammy blissfully unaware of the direness of their situation. Or so it seems.
When money from a Class Action lawsuit fails to materialize, Carl realizes his options are running out. With no resources and no family, Carl turns to Raymond Atkins, Sammy's childhood friend and protector. But Raymond is now a middle-aged single father overwhelmed by his own problems.
Based on a true story, Roy G. Biv is a tender portrait of a man pushed to his limits for the love of his son.
Roy G. Biv is the latest film from award-winning filmmaker Kim Spurlock. Based on a true story, Roy G. Biv follows Carl Short, a terminally ill coal miner, as he seeks refuge for his son who has Down Syndrome. The film is set in a mining town in the mountains of West Virginia and will begin principal photography in June 2007.
Roy G. Biv is Kim's MFA thesis project for the graduate film program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She developed the script with her mentor Lodge Kerrigan (Clean Shaven, Keane). This film has the support of NYU's faculty, which includes award-winning filmmakers such as John Tintori (Eight Men Out, True Love) and Spike Lee (Do the Right Thing, Inside Man).
Roy G. Biv has also garnered much support outside of NYU. The project won the prestigious FotoKem Grant ($20,000 of development services) and is in contention for the Roy W. Dean New York Film Grant and the Fuji Film Award.
Despite all the grants, awards and generous contributions, additional support is necessary. Our prospectus outlines the project and how you can be a part of bringing Roy G. Biv to the big screen.
Kim Spurlock, Writer & Director
Director Kim Spurlock is a Dean's Fellow in the graduate film program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Before attending NYU, she studied Anthropology in Nashville, Tennessee, worked as a bicycle courier in Washington, D.C. and shot a documentary in Sofia, Bulgaria. Kim traces her roots to Vietnam and West Virginia, and often draws from true life to tell stories that explore the mysteries of the human condition and the drama in everyday experience. Her award-winning films are lyrical and evocative pieces that demonstrate her subtlety and vision.
Starting with her first short film Fish, which premiered at the 2003 Palm Springs International Short Film Festival, Kim's films have had phenomenal success on the festival circuit. Her second short film Afternoon premiered at the 2005 Slamdance Film Festival and went on to win the Jury Prize at the Vietnamese International Film Festival. Her last film Uta premiered at the Munich International All Film Schools Festival where it won first prize in the "Gestures of Reconciliation" competition. Kim also recently won the Sloan Foundation Award for her feature screenplay, The Mighty Hercules, which she co-wrote with producer David Chan. For more information about Kim's projects, please visit www.kimspurlock.com.
David Chan, Producer
David has produced and consulted on short films and documentaries since 2002. Most recently, he completed Second Light at Angkor, a documentary about a Cambodian pediatric hospital, which was screened for President Clinton and Nelson Mandela. His producing experience includes Fish, Natchiliagniaqtuguk Aapagalu and Uta. In addition to film and TV production, David has produced tradeshows (Best of Show - Internet World 1999 and 2000) and commercials for Qpass, a spin-off from Microsoft. Prior to film production, David worked for JPMorganChase's internal venture capital group and Nomura Securities Mergers and Acquisitions group. David received his BS cum laude in Economics and Finance from NYU and his MBA from MIT.
Gregory Mitnick, Director of Photography
Gregory Mitnick is currently pursuing his MFA in NYU's Graduate Film Program where he is focused on cinematography and directing. Based in New York City, Gregory has traveled extensively to shoot narrative and documentary films in Iceland, Spain, China, and Russia. He has most recently photographed and co-directed a series of TV commercials for his commercial venture entitled "Peking." He enjoys still photography and has worked as an assistant to several well-known fashion photographers. Gregory speaks basic Mandarin, French and Japanese and has worked as a short-order cook, a lawnmower salesman, a shrimp peeler and a Chinese food deliveryman.
Please help bring Roy G. Biv to the big screen. With an experienced production team, talented cast and strong story, Roy G. Biv has already garnered much support:
- Cast and crew have donated their time to work on this project without pay.
- Vendors have offered donations and discounts on equipment and film.
- NYU has reviewed and endorsed the production.
- The filmmakers have invested their own funds.
All, we need is YOU. With your donation, you:
- Let the Gaffer bring up the lights
- Feed the Grips
- Bring the musical score
Most of all, your donation allows us to say
"That's a wrap!"
There are several ways that you can support
Roy G. Biv:
Option 1: The Tax-Deductible Gift*
Option 2: The In-Kind Donation
Option 3: The Investment
Option 1: The Tax-Deductible Gift* The easiest way to become a part of Roy G. Biv is to make a cash or in-kind contribution to the film in the form of a gift. Roy G. Biv is a non-profit through our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas. Fractured Atlas is a non-profit organization that serves a national community of artists and arts organizations. As Roy G. Biv's fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas accepts donations or grants on behalf of the filmmaker and takes the responsibility of administering funds received in support of the development and completion of the film. Like any charitable gift to a non-profit, all donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
To make a donation
• Online:
www.fracturedatlas.org
• Phone:
(212) 277-8020 x202 (refer to "Roy G. Biv")
• Mail:
Please make your check payable to "Fractured Atlas" and include "Roy G. Biv" on the memo line.
Send your check to:
Kim Spurlock
166 7th Avenue, Apt. 4
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Fractured Atlas (a non-profit organization that serves a national community of artists and arts organizations). As Roy G. Biv's fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas accepts donations or grants on behalf of the filmmaker and takes the responsibility of administering funds received in support of the development and completion of the film.
Option 2: The In-Kind Donation You can also help by donating non-monetary gifts to help with production:
- Food
- Plane tickets
- Hotel rooms
- Equipment
These gifts are also tax-deductible (with a few more rules). You will receive an in-kind contribution form from Fractured Atlas as confirmation of your donation
Option 3: The Investment Financing films is a highly risky enterprise. Even the odds of a profitable feature film are low. Investors should be aware of these risks and contact David Chan directly for details. If you choose to invest, you may not take the charitable tax deduction. If, however, the film does not return a profit, you may file the contribution as an investment loss the year after the investment is made.
Depending on the level of contribution, donors will receive the following: In addition, donors will receive an exclusive invitation to one of the special screening parties in New York, NY, San Francisco, CA or Huntington, WV.
Executive Producer $10,000+
- Executive Producer credit in film
- "Day on the set" - Learn about filmmaking with access to the filming location
- Non-speaking role in the film
- As many DVD copies of the film as requested
- Invitations to all festival screenings
- Invitation to First Run Festival premiere
- Invitation (+10 guests) to the private screening party
Associate Producer $5,000+
- Associate Producer credit in film
- As many DVD copies of the film as requested
- Invitations to first major festival screenings
- Invitation to First Run Festival premiere
- Invitation (+10 guests) to the private screening party
Sponsors $1,000+
- Major Funding credit in film
- Up to 10 DVD copies of the film as requested
- Invitation to First Run Festival Premiere
- Invitation (+5 guests) to the private screening party
Donors $250+
- Special Thanks credit in film
- Up to 3 DVD copies of the film as requested
- Invitation (+3 guests) to the private screening party
Friends $100+
- Special Thanks credit in film
- 1 DVD copy of the film as requested
- Invitation (+1 guest) to the private screening party
To learn more about Roy G. Biv, download our prospectus.
For a copy of the script, a detailed budget or other information, please send email to roygbivproduction@gmail.com
The Roy G. Biv team would like to thank all of our generous donors and funders to date:
Fotokem - Post production services
Morgan Stanley - Office services
iO2 Consulting - Web programming
Brad Egnor - Graphic Design
Urban Panda - Web Design
Here are articles about Kim's earlier films. Check back for future articles about Roy G. Biv!
April 28, 2006The Herald Dispatch: "Catch a Flick, check out a great cave system"
April 20, 2005UCLA International Institute: "Vietnamese Diaspora on Film"
April 8, 2005Los Angeles Times: "Echoes of war, 30 years later"
March 11, 2005Nguoi-Viet: Bringing Vietnamese Folklore to the Big Screen
For more information about Roy G. Biv, please contact:
Kim Spurlock (Director) 166 7th Avenue, 4 Brooklyn, NY 11215 917-573-2828 Ks880@nyu.edu
David Chan (Producer) 214 E. 25 St., 2FE New York, NY 10010 917-969-8832 dave.chan@alum.mit.edu