Hard-ish Bodies
Austin, Texas | Film Short
Comedy, Shorts Program
Hard-ish Bodies is an adaptation of the award-winning theater show under the same name that aims to redefine what it means to be sexy. Hard-ish Bodies is “The Full Monty” in a “Magic Mike” world. This film is real men doing real dancing in a really sexy way. All we need now is you!
Hard-ish Bodies
Austin, Texas | Film Short
Comedy, Shorts Program
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $12,798 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
139 supporters | followers
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Hard-ish Bodies is an adaptation of the award-winning theater show under the same name that aims to redefine what it means to be sexy. Hard-ish Bodies is “The Full Monty” in a “Magic Mike” world. This film is real men doing real dancing in a really sexy way. All we need now is you!
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Set in present day Austin, Hard-ish Bodies is an ensemble comedy written, directed and produced by Mike Carreon. The story follows the chubby and charming, Mitch "The Midnight Train" who struggles to believe in himself as a lead dancer. While the owner of the place, Stoney "Tex Longride", must come clean and tell the dancers that club will be torn town to make way for condos...like every other good thing in Austin. With some strong supporting female characters, both men find themselves struggling to keep it together during a busy Friday night.
Having grown up in a house full of women, my life has been scripted by the hundreds of romantic comedy movies we grew up swooning over. Throughout the years I started to realize that there were few overweight men like me as romantic leads. If they were cast as the lead, the movie would not only call attention to their weight, but use it as a joke. It was soon obvious to me that overweight men were only deemed "sexy" if there was a wacky backstory that provided an explination as to why even though he's "fat" the audience can believe that he might be found sexy if in the right circumstances.
Sadly, I've worked my whole adult like to try to justify to myself that I am sexy. It was years of self-loathing and body shaming myself until I finally said "F*ck that!" At 285lbs, I am one sexy man. Wouldn't you agree? Not to say that I don't have the occasional negative thoughts, but it's taken me a long time to be ok (and love) who I am. Before I realized it, this message of body-positivity had become my mission as a storyteller. It defined me. No, it "defines" me and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Wanting to share this message, I put up the first live Hard-ish Bodies shows in early 2016. During the live show, I found that not only were we, as cast members, owning our bodies in a way we never had before, but audiences were connecting with these vulnerable stories in a way that took Austin by storm. After winning the B. Iden Payne Award for Oustanding Production of an Improv Show, both the cast and audiences wanted more so we brought it back to the theater. After two sell out runs of the live show, Hard-ish Bodies is ready to bring it's message of body positivity and these sexy men to film.
All that's missing is you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
RED Camera Package
Costs $1,000
Our DP has a sick camera package, but we want to make sure he's compensated for it.
Fly Adam Down
Costs $500
Hard-ish Bodies would not be the same without Alex "El Tigré" (Adam Mengesha). We need to fly him from Chicago and give him a warm bed.
Crew Stipends
Costs $3,500
We need the most top notch crew and we won't let them work for free.
Craft Services
Costs $600
You know what's worse than a poorly planned bachelorette party? Hungry actors. Feed them, please.
Music Liscensing
Costs $200
We've got some specific beats we need that will make or break this film.
Stoney's Rock Hard Palace
Costs $300
We need an authentic club complete with a stage (w/o a pole), a manager's office, and locker room (w/ shower).
Equipment Rental
Costs $1,000
We own a lot of what we need, but we need to supplement with some killer lighting and some sound equipment.
Share this update!
About This Team
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Set in present day Austin, Hard-ish Bodies is an ensemble comedy written, directed and produced by Mike Carreon. The story follows the chubby and charming, Mitch "The Midnight Train" who struggles to believe in himself as a lead dancer. While the owner of the place, Stoney "Tex Longride", must come clean and tell the dancers that club will be torn town to make way for condos...like every other good thing in Austin. With some strong supporting female characters, both men find themselves struggling to keep it together during a busy Friday night.
Having grown up in a house full of women, my life has been scripted by the hundreds of romantic comedy movies we grew up swooning over. Throughout the years I started to realize that there were few overweight men like me as romantic leads. If they were cast as the lead, the movie would not only call attention to their weight, but use it as a joke. It was soon obvious to me that overweight men were only deemed "sexy" if there was a wacky backstory that provided an explination as to why even though he's "fat" the audience can believe that he might be found sexy if in the right circumstances.
Sadly, I've worked my whole adult like to try to justify to myself that I am sexy. It was years of self-loathing and body shaming myself until I finally said "F*ck that!" At 285lbs, I am one sexy man. Wouldn't you agree? Not to say that I don't have the occasional negative thoughts, but it's taken me a long time to be ok (and love) who I am. Before I realized it, this message of body-positivity had become my mission as a storyteller. It defined me. No, it "defines" me and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Wanting to share this message, I put up the first live Hard-ish Bodies shows in early 2016. During the live show, I found that not only were we, as cast members, owning our bodies in a way we never had before, but audiences were connecting with these vulnerable stories in a way that took Austin by storm. After winning the B. Iden Payne Award for Oustanding Production of an Improv Show, both the cast and audiences wanted more so we brought it back to the theater. After two sell out runs of the live show, Hard-ish Bodies is ready to bring it's message of body positivity and these sexy men to film.
All that's missing is you!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
RED Camera Package
Costs $1,000
Our DP has a sick camera package, but we want to make sure he's compensated for it.
Fly Adam Down
Costs $500
Hard-ish Bodies would not be the same without Alex "El Tigré" (Adam Mengesha). We need to fly him from Chicago and give him a warm bed.
Crew Stipends
Costs $3,500
We need the most top notch crew and we won't let them work for free.
Craft Services
Costs $600
You know what's worse than a poorly planned bachelorette party? Hungry actors. Feed them, please.
Music Liscensing
Costs $200
We've got some specific beats we need that will make or break this film.
Stoney's Rock Hard Palace
Costs $300
We need an authentic club complete with a stage (w/o a pole), a manager's office, and locker room (w/ shower).
Equipment Rental
Costs $1,000
We own a lot of what we need, but we need to supplement with some killer lighting and some sound equipment.
Share this update!
About This Team