We are seeking funding for our proof of concept pilot Background
From the team behind LOOTERS (best crime short nominee at Indie X, official selection at The Beverly Hills Film Festival, and streaming on Amazon Prime) comes a new comedy series following Dru, an actor desperately trying to claw his way up the Hollywood ladder. Our show features a colorful cast of characters played by talented theatre based actors and industry vets. We are opening our doors to investors to raise $6,500 for our production, shooting this summer.
Help us fund raise for our next project
Background is a 33 page comedy pilot that we are shooting in late July. As a supporter of this pilot you will help us cover our production costs for the 4 shoot days.
MEET OUR CAST
Reno Warmath
plays Dru, a struggling actor out of his youth and still in search of his big break. His award nominated short Looters is currently streaming on Prime Video.
Emmitt Butler
plays Fritz, an overly ambitious actor with big dreams. He is known for his work in the play The Substance of Fire acting alongside Rob Morrow and Marcia Cross.
Niah Andino
plays Mandy, a classically trained theatre kid. Niah has starred in Looters and Poppy, two award nominated shorts which she wrote and produced.
John Pirruccello
plays Buster, a bottom-tier talent manager. Best known as Detective John Loach on HBO's Barry, he's also appeared in Twin Peaks: The Return, The Lincoln Lawyer, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Mayans M.C.
Chris Mulkey
plays Bill, a grizzled background actor. known for his work in Whiplash, Captain Phillips, and Twin Peaks.
Ray Abruzzo
plays Kurt, a mystically profound acting teacher. Best known for playing Little Carmine on The Sopranos, as well as The Practice and Night Court.
Story and Tone:
Background follows Dru, a struggling actor working his way up the Hollywood ladder one background gig at a time, his dignity constantly up against malicious talent managers, self-aggrandizing directors, and chaotic film sets. Dru quickly learns there are a million ways to make it in Hollywood, but the glitz and glam isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Take a peak into the visual tone of Background
OUR CREATIVE TEAM
Reno Warmath
Writer / Director
Reno made his directorial debut with the short film Looters, now streaming on Amazon Prime. The film earned a nomination for Best Crime Short at IndieX Film Fest and was an official selection at the Beverly Hills Film Festival.
Oliver Kompst
Director of Photography
Oliver is a Los Angeles based cinematographer.
His recent feature work includes Frog (dir. Jonathan J. Lee), nominated for best feature at the 2025 DisOrient Film Festival and Pasadena International Film Festival.
Niah Andino
Producer
Niah is a theatre trained actress based in Los Angeles. She has starred in and produced two festival-selected short films Poppy and Looters.
Director's Statement:
"Once the opening scene from Background entered my mind I knew I had to make this pilot. It opened a endless well of experiences I have had and continue to have as a dreamer living in Los Angeles. The people you meet and the places you go in this profession are more of a story than the countless stories we work hard to create. It truly wrote itself. The cast is filled with amazingly talented and unbelievably funny actors who I can't wait to play with on set. They all bring such a vast pool of experience and the world we are crafting together is not one to miss."
Donation Incentives
Screening Link
$25
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Receive a private screening link to watch the pilot upon completion.
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Premiere Ticket
$75
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Receive a private screening link to watch the pilot upon completion.
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1x ticket to the Premiere showing of Background in Los Angeles, CA. Viewing date TBD. (Travel and accommodations not provided)
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Special Thanks
$250
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Receive a private screening link to watch the pilot upon completion.
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2x ticket to the Premiere showing of Background in Los Angeles, CA. Viewing date TBD. (Travel and accommodations not provided)
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Your name featured in the "Special Thanks" section of the credits.
Business Logo
$500
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Receive a private screening link to watch the pilot upon completion.
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2x ticket to the Premiere showing of Background in Los Angeles, CA. Viewing date TBD. (Travel and accommodations not provided)
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Receive a spot in the credits for your business logo.
Associate Producer
$1500
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Receive a private screening link to watch the pilot upon completion.
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2x ticket to the Premiere showing of Background in Los Angeles, CA. Viewing date TBD.
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Associate producer credit on the pilot episode.
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Past Projects
Click below to view our past projects.
