In this Swiss Army Man meets Eternal Sunshine adventure the tense lives of an artist couple living in Austin, Texas is exposed. It is an absurd romance adventure that takes an unexpected supernatural turn when they wake up one day to find they're the last people on earth.
In this Swiss Army Man meets Eternal Sunshine adventure the tense lives of an artist couple living in Austin, Texas is exposed. It is an absurd romance adventure that takes an unexpected supernatural turn when they wake up one day to find they're the last people on earth.
Participating In

Hometown Heroes 2017
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Story
Mission Statement
TurtleDove Films is committed to providing equal opportunity both in front of and behind the camera. We are utilizing a production staff that is 67% women, co-directed by a woman, and has a cast that is 60% female. We are open to hiring any ethnicity, gender, and ability.About The Project
Story
A Room Full of Nothing is a Feature Film written by Duncan Coe and produced by TurtleDove Films. It explores the ideas of the complexity of modern relationships, the transient nature of art, isolationism & escapism and classic absurdity. The story follows Phyllis, a collage artist, and Barry, an actor, as they navigate reality when their world is unexpectedly turned upside down.
After both receive harsh criticisms they become despondent and dejected and they retreat into their own alternate reality and adopt a form of escapism where they reinforce their everlasting love for one another and eschew all of the critics and naysayers in their life. Renewed in their love for one another they wake up one day to find that they’ve accidentally willed all of the people in the world to disappear. Basking in the freedom of the unburdening of societal obligations they embark on an adventure of playful antics.
It is a story of unwavering love, the brutality of the artist’s life, and the destructiveness of creative mind . It explores what it means to be human, the strength of love, the nature of existence, and how our individual experiences shape our perception of the world around us.
Writer's Statement
The story comes from a very personal place. I've dedicated myself to a life of art and struggle endlessly with self-esteem and confidence, especially in a city where the cost of living is astronomical and creative spaces are being torn down for mixed use commercial buildings and condos. It can be difficult to muster up the will to make art, but ambition and the will to create are often enough motivation to persist. It's this tumultuous lifestyle that makes up the world of the characters of this film.
It’s no coincidence that the story is influenced by a 20th century absurdist novel and a 1st century fable that share a near identical title: Metamorphosis and Metamorphoses respectively. The absurdity of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis inspires this story by its embrace of the nonsense and comedy of our internal fears manifesting themselves in our external environment. It is equally inspired by the fable of Baucis and Philemon as told by the Roman poet Ovid. In his epic poem these two lovers are granted eternal companionship when they’re rewarded for their good deeds and transformed by the gods at their collective death into an intertwining pair of trees in a deserted bog.-Duncan Coe, writer/director
Project Status
A Room Full of Nothing is the first feature film from TurtleDove Films, a company co-owned by Elena Weinberg and Duncan Coe. Their debut project was the web series #ATown which was written by and starred Elena and was produced by her and Duncan. It was the recipient of the Austin Chronicle's Reader's Choice Award for Best Web Series in Austin in 2014. That same year Duncan was a finalist in the Jameson First Shot writing competition with Kevin Spacey and Uma Thurman.
Principal Photography will take place in Austin, Texas in the winter of 2017/2018.
Incentives
$5
Social Media Shoutout
We'll namedrop you to all our followers on Facebook and Twitter. You'll be social media famous.
$10
Spirit Animal Graphic
A running theme in the film is Barry and Phyllis (the two main characters) anthropomorphized as their spirit animals, a turtle and a dove. Cute, huh? With this perk, you will receive a personalized spirit animal graphic of your own to share with the world.
$25
Private Stream
You get access to a streaming version of the film at the same time as our World Premiere. TBD at a future date.
$50
Take home art
FIRST WEEK ONLY!
One of the main characters is a collage artist. At this incentive level we will craft a customized piece of collage art, film the entire process, then send you the art and the video for you to keep forever and ever.
(not actual artwork from the film)
Sold Out!
$50
Wrap Party
Receive an invitation to the wrap party at the conclusion of the production. You'll get to mingle with the cast and schmooze with the directors.
$100
Your Own Piece of Austin
Receive a personalized video crafted by the TurtleDove team. Filmed in an iconic Austin location it will be your very own rememberance of Austin from the TD fam.
$250
Photo Session
Need headshots? We can do that. Receive a headshot session from resident photographer, Duncan Coe. (limited to the Austin, Texas area)
$500
Art in the Film
A portion of the film takes place in an art gallery. With this incentive you will receive a customized piece of art that will be displayed in the scenes in the film that take place at the art gallery. Keep it on your wall or sell it on ebay, it's yours to do with as you please.
(sample art, not actual art from film)
$1,000
Dream Animation
There are several dream sequences in the film that will be composed using specialized animation techniques. At this incentive level we will take a personal dream of yours, animate it, and commemorate your beautiful mind.
$5,000
Associate Producer + Set Visit
Bam! You're an associate producer on the film and you get to visit us for a very special on-set experience.
$15,000
Glamping
You just became an angel investor in a fantastic project. The TurtleDove team wants to take you glamping in beautiful Marfa, Texas. Not only that, your Associate Producer credit is now an Executive Producer credit. Let's make a damn good movie together!
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$5
Social Media Shoutout
We'll namedrop you to all our followers on Facebook and Twitter. You'll be social media famous.
$10
Spirit Animal Graphic
A running theme in the film is Barry and Phyllis (the two main characters) anthropomorphized as their spirit animals, a turtle and a dove. Cute, huh? With this perk, you will receive a personalized spirit animal graphic of your own to share with the world.
$25
Private Stream
You get access to a streaming version of the film at the same time as our World Premiere. TBD at a future date.
$50
Take home art
FIRST WEEK ONLY!
One of the main characters is a collage artist. At this incentive level we will craft a customized piece of collage art, film the entire process, then send you the art and the video for you to keep forever and ever.
(not actual artwork from the film)
Sold Out!
$50
Wrap Party
Receive an invitation to the wrap party at the conclusion of the production. You'll get to mingle with the cast and schmooze with the directors.
$100
Your Own Piece of Austin
Receive a personalized video crafted by the TurtleDove team. Filmed in an iconic Austin location it will be your very own rememberance of Austin from the TD fam.
$250
Photo Session
Need headshots? We can do that. Receive a headshot session from resident photographer, Duncan Coe. (limited to the Austin, Texas area)
$500
Art in the Film
A portion of the film takes place in an art gallery. With this incentive you will receive a customized piece of art that will be displayed in the scenes in the film that take place at the art gallery. Keep it on your wall or sell it on ebay, it's yours to do with as you please.
(sample art, not actual art from film)
$1,000
Dream Animation
There are several dream sequences in the film that will be composed using specialized animation techniques. At this incentive level we will take a personal dream of yours, animate it, and commemorate your beautiful mind.
$5,000
Associate Producer + Set Visit
Bam! You're an associate producer on the film and you get to visit us for a very special on-set experience.
$15,000
Glamping
You just became an angel investor in a fantastic project. The TurtleDove team wants to take you glamping in beautiful Marfa, Texas. Not only that, your Associate Producer credit is now an Executive Producer credit. Let's make a damn good movie together!
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