"SQUAT" IS IN THE CAN!

The Nether Region has developed, written, and filmed our first feature film, "SQUAT." Now we're moving into post-production (Whoot)! Thank you for stopping by our campaign to bring our project the rest of the way home.

“SQUAT” is a science fiction buddy comedy about the reality of tragedy.

Sounds fun, right? Right? I know 2020 has been a heck of a year, but this isn’t just some film that’s a metaphor of our times—it is that—but it didn’t start out that way. We’ll get into all of that, but first, here’s a little about us, an update of where we are in the process, and how you can join us on helping to get this little movie into the world.

THE STORY

Though grief is universal, it's isolating. It can encapsulate us.  And there's certainly nothing funny about it.
...or is there? SQUAT is the story of a sci-fi graphic novelist who, after the tragic loss of his wife and child, is content to believe his house has developed a forcefield.

This belief is challenged when an eccentric cowboy enters the house, claiming it as his own.  

When it's clear the mysterious squatter has no intention of leaving, the novelist must do all he can to get his house back, uncovering a deep mystery in the process. 

WHY THIS STORY?

Personally, the timing of this story feels deeply inspired. Within a 6 month period of time, Cris, Josh and Jeremy each lost a parent. In the wake of our losses, this story found us. 

Globally, 2020 has been a time of self isolation for many of us. But in 2018 this was already a major theme we were exploring in our story. 

Universally, everyone has or will grieve the loss of a loved one. And though it is universal, loss is alienating. 

In fact it's that lonely, stifling experience we encountered in our individual lives that halted our creative flair. It took a year for each of us to get a sense of realignment and to find inspiration enough to re-engage our dreams.

We debated whether or not to share photos of our lost loved ones... but to heck with it... it's part of our journey. Plus, we love our parents. Also, how awesome is that race car?! And Cris' mom did have the smallest dog on the planet (see Guiness 2005) that's pretty sci-fi.   

While our losses once disconnected us, we are now moved by the hope, connection, and inspiration we are finding on the other side of that grief. SQUAT is our offering to the universal dialogue of grief. 

WHY US?

We’re geeks.
Sci-fi geeks.

Yes, that's us playing with a ray gun. 

If it has Star, Space, Planet, Future, or Alien in the title, we love it. Science Fiction is a safe place to explore spiritual or philosophical issues or the human condition. We believe, to do it with the added comedic layer only enriches the experience. 

'LIL BIT ABOUT US

This all started with 3 nerds and a sci-fi sketch comedy youtube channel, “The Nether Region”. We’re currently at 10,000 subscribers, and have over half a million channel views.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRs2Ic_D0GVGlRttKxjfzFw

JOSH

PRODUCER, WRITER, DIRECTOR

Josh is a 20+ year veteran of the entertainment industry.  He’s a segment writer and story consultant for PBS’ “Reconnecting Roots”, a writer/producer for Seventh Story Productions in Franklin TN, and a writer on the forthcoming limited series “Preach”.

In 2009 he wrote, directed, and produced his first feature film “The Nothing” distributed by Crown Entertainment. He also co-wrote “The Griddle House” distributed by XVIII Entertainment. 

He’s also produced over a dozen successful, original, theatrical productions. These shows have featured the talents of Melinda Doolittle (American Idol), and Country legend JoDee Messina and in total have reached audiences of more than 30,000 people.

Acting credits include; Hannah Montana: The Movie, Blue Like Jazz,  MacGyver, Nashville, Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings, The Inspectors, and recurring roles in Netflx’s Insatiable, CMT series Still the King, and NBC’s Bluff City Law.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2357563/

CRIS

PRODUCER, WRITER, ACTOR

Cris has nearly twenty years’ experience in the film and television industry as a producer, director, screenwriter, and actor. In 2007 he founded a production company that created and marketed over 100 short films that garnered anestimated viewership of 20,000,000+.

Cris has also worked as primary producer and writer of more than 45 documentaries. Over the past few years, he’s completed several feature Screenplays, The Vetting, Duct Tape, Paper Wings, and Vacant House. Vacant House, produced on a micro-budget ($7000), screened at Festival de Cannes despite its minimal budget and no star power. Cris also starred in Vacant House, which screened at multiple festivals, garnering ample awards including the CineRocKom International Film Festival in Hollywood, California, winning top awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Actor. Most recently, Cunningham produced the top rated TBN television series for Book Of Mysteries, based on Jonathan Cahn’s New York Times best selling book of the same title.

In 2019 Cunningham produced and finished two documentaries on Human Trafficking in America and The Crisis of Affordable Housing.
 
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3172786/

JEREMY

PRODUCER, WRITER, ACTOR

Feature film highlights include the DreamWorks’s The Last Castle with Robert Redford and Screen Gems’ Country Strong with Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw. In the summer of 2017 he got to improv a scene with Robert DeNiro in the film comedy The War With Grandpa thus marking a really big one off his bucket list. His favorite independent features include Closer To God (2014) and The Dead Center (2018) with Shane Carruth. He was the lead in both films as well as a producer.

Among his numerous roles, Jeremy has had recurring characters on ABC’s Nashville, CMT’s short lived Sun Records and guest starred on Showtime’s The Good Lord Bird. You can also catch him on Amazon Prime in The Jeff Durham Show (a thirty minute long comedy improv) and in the dark southern comedy Local Air with Nashville alum David Alford. However, he may be best known to young viewers as the two characters he plays in the on line children’s music series, Quavers Wonderful World of Music..He’s both Repairman and the talking bust of Vivaldi.

The most exciting thing to happen in his career thus far occurred in the winter of 2018 when he was cast as Jody in the third season of AMC’s Preacher. He is a huge fanboy of the source material and diehard enthusiast of the TV series...that he is now on.

“Childs’ performance is quite riveting.” -Ain’t It Cool News

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1003874/

YOU'RE TOTALLY A GEEK IF YOU'VE READ THIS FAR

If you, like us, love movies with Star, Space, Planet, Future, Alien (or Squat) in the title, Our movie is being created for you. If you love a good laugh, or you’ve been touched by tragedy, we want you to be a part of our community. When you help us make this film you’re fueling the universal dialogue of tragedy with hope, connection, and inspiration.

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

As independent filmmakers, we are responsible for building a relationship with our community. But, how cool is that? To get to spend time interacting with a community, focused on something bigger and greater than ourselves, and doing so by creating works of art that inspire laughter, heart, and passion. Since SQUAT is deeply personal, we find the prospect not only paramount but awfully exciting.

Your participation and potential contribution will enable us to dream big, touch hearts, and assemble a highly talented team of storytellers along with all the equipment needed to bring this story to the screen in a compelling way.

We’re honored you’ve read this far and hope you consider one of the following incentives in joining our community! 

THANK YOU!