Gleahan and the Knaves of Industry

Duluth, Minnesota | Film Feature

Adventure, Comedy

Sam Weston

2 Campaigns | Minnesota, United States

Green Light

This campaign raised $6,060 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.

32 supporters | followers

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Do you want an off-the-rails adventure comedy full of tropey goodness? How about just watching a grown man run around and fight imaginary dragons? This movie is for you!

About The Project

  • The Story
  • Wishlist
  • Updates
  • The Team
  • Community

Mission Statement

The director is under 25 and autistic. The script passes both the Bechdel and Mako Mori Tests. Plus, we'll continue to make a conscious effort to have a gender-balanced and diverse cast and crew. And of course every step of creation will take place in the historically blue-collar city of Duluth, MN.

The Story

A dark shadow descends over the wondrous port city of Duluth -- the shadow of a dark lord and his nefarious machinations. Duluth has stood firm against the corruption, but his sphere of influence is vast. Soon this land of kindness and generosity will succumb to the Knaves of Industry, just like all the cities before it...

 But not while Gleahan of Eastvale still breathes.

Gleahan and the Knaves of Industry is a fantasy-infused adventure comedy about Mark, an opportunistic asshole who gets caught up in Gleahan's delusional quest to take down this "Dark Lord." Filmed in Duluth, MN by budding filmmaker Samuel T Weston, it's already gained the support of several influential names and notable faces throughout the city.

Sam has grown an eclectic body of work through short films like "Translating Minnesota Nice," "Jedi Coworker," "Oracle," and "How Sports Feel to People Who Don't Like Sports." Now, in partnership with the Duluth Film Collective, he's ready to make the leap into feature films.

Gleahan is on its way off the ground. We could just do it the way we always have, by cobbling together a cast and crew of enthusiastic volunteers and praying that everything goes right on set (or that we can salvage the footage we get). But with your help, we can take this film from half-assed to whole-assed and make Gleahan soar.

What do I get?

Well first off, you get an off-the-rails movie full of tropey goodness. Seriously, you won't regret it. Not like Mark regrets joining Gleahan's quest.

You also get one of our fabulous rewards, which you can check out to your right. They're pretty straightforward and can give you lots of nerd-cred. Think about it: some day in the future, someone will stop you at a convention and ask, "Hey! Is that from Gleahan?" And you can proudly say "Yeah! I backed the movie on Seed&Spark!"

Oh, and you get to add fuel to a growing Minnesota film industry.

Wait... An industry?

That's right! We're not just a one-and-done project: we truly believe that Minnesota (and especially Duluth) can be a new major film hub. We're home to thousands of great locations across the state, and thousands more creative people who can use those locations to their fullest.

Look no further than our supporting organization, the Duluth Film Collective -- it's full of every kind of filmmaker and film lover out there, and the cooperative network we've built has only gotten stronger over the years. With their talent and your support, there's no way Gleahan won't get made!

How do I know you'll actually pull it off?

Because Sam has completed every project he set his mind to.

Because we have a team of filmmakers and film lovers encouraging us every step of the way.

Because so many people are already excited, we can't afford to not pull it off.

Because we refuse to let anyone down.

We will make this film, and it will be a fun ride!

Where do I sign up?

See that button at the top of the page that says "Make a Pledge"? Click it and enter an amount that works for you. Even $1. We're happy to have any support you can give.

In fact, you don't even have to contribute money! This campaign is part of Seed&Spark's Hometown Heroes Rally, so even if you just hit Follow you're still helping us! Extra-excited? Share the campaign with your friends!

With your help, we can make this movie truly great.

Wishlist

Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.

Paying Cast & Crew

Costs $5,000

In the past we've paid cast & crew with food. We'd like to give them actual money.

Orchestral Score

Costs $2,000

We go all-out on music. This will let us work with musicians and a composer to make it awesome.

Festivals

Costs $500

We want to send this around to film festivals, which means entry fees and travel costs.

Cash Pledge

Costs $0

About This Team

Samuel T Weston is a fantasy writer-turned-filmmaker who grew up all around Minnesota (and we mean all around) and ended up in Duluth. His craft has improved with every short film he's set his mind to since moving here, and now he's ready for his first feature.Gleahan and the Knaves of Industry came to him all at once during the 2017 Duluth-Superior Film Fest as "Don Quixote for the Millennial Era," and he completed the script in just a few weeks. Sam tries not to take himself too seriously, lest the Pretentiousness Bug get to him.

 

Don Millikan III describes himself as an eclectic enigma that cannot be defined -- but we can try! His flowing locks, epic beard, and big personality have become a cornerstone of Duluth's drinking culture, matched only by his love of cooking and a fierce loyalty to those he's come to call friend. When he first read the script for Gleahan and the Knaves of Industry, he exclaimed "This is me, distilled!" Don is a majestic being who cannot be tamed.

 

Matthew Dressel grew up in Michigan, then made film trailers in LA before moving to Duluth where he lives with his wife and daughter. In 2014 he noticed all the artists in Duluth and asked "where are the film people?" So he formed the Duluth Film Collective, which has become a powerhouse of filmmakers and film lovers in the Twin Ports. In 2016 he won the IFP MN Screenwriting Residency for his script The Other Man, and has four scripts currently in various stages of production. He tries to bury his 2012 web series Let's Kill John Stamos!, but his character was one inspiration while Sam wrote the character of Mark.

Current Team

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