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Logline

While traveling from Albuquerque to Los Angeles in a self-driving car, brilliant computer programmer Brian Keller must use all of his hacking skills to save the planet from an ecological disaster.

Synopsis

Brian Keller rarely leaves his home, but today is an exception. He has booked himself a cross-country journey in a self-driving car to visit Neon33, his online girlfriend who he has never met in person. Brian’s sole client is Jack Comstock, head of a powerful corporation claiming that it can harvest vast amounts of valuable minerals 100 miles below the Earth’s surface. The method is named “Sonically Accessed Friable Elements” (S.A.F.E.). Using the company’s data and advanced algorithms of his own design, Brian generates equations that convincingly support S.A.F.E. He also makes a stunning animation designed to rally world governments behind the project.

But while trying to sleep through the night in his self-driving car, Brian’s mind continues to crunch numbers. Although he’s certain the water supplies are okay, he’s troubled by a strange anomaly. The numbers indicate that there’s a small chance that the sonic waves could trigger a horrific tectonic reaction that could destroy the planet. When Brian tells Comstock about this possibility, the CEO says that he likes the odds, especially since billions of dollars are at stake. Sensing that Brian might reveal the “glitch,” Comstock first offers Brian a big bonus to keep quiet and then sets out to kill him. With no one else to confide in, Brian tells Neon33 of the danger. She urges him to take action. Eventually, Brian decides to intervene, motivated in part by wanting to save the planet, but also because he wants to be able to complete his journey and finally meet Neon33 for real.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

FRANK MERLE — Director/Producer
FRANK MERLE is a proud member of the Producers Guild of America and an award-winning filmmaker with a background in theater directing and producing. After graduating first in his class from the former Goodman School of Drama at DePaul University, Frank co-founded and served as artistic director of Chicago’s critically-acclaimed Keyhole Theatre Company, producing over 30 professional stage productions before turning his attention to film in 2006. Since making the move to Hollywood, he has produced over two dozen feature films and has directed three award-winning features, including the critically-acclaimed feature thriller The Employer, starring Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) and Billy Zane (Titanic), the found-footage horror/comedy From Jennifer, starring Derek Mears (Friday the 13th) and Tony Todd (Candyman), and the theatrically-released tropical fantasy thriller Namaka, starring Jamie Kennedy (Scream) and David Howard Thornton (Terrifier).

MURRAY SUID — Writer
MURRAY SUID is a screenwriter with one feature produced (SUMMER OF THE FLYING SAUCER) and many scripts sold and optioned. In addition to writing, he has produced several short films including THE J-WALKER, which won the Special Jury Prize at the Marburg Film Festival. While he was earning his MFA degree in screenwriting at UCLA, his mentor was Howard Suber, founder of the school’s Producer Program. The producing courses that he took led to his becoming a lead writer/producer for two multimedia companies—Edvantage Software and BookheadEd. He has also written many nonfiction books including MOVIEMAKING ILLUSTRATED: THE COMICBOOK FILMBOOK (with James Morrow).

DANIELLE TADDEI — Line Producer
DANIELLE TADDEI is a professional actor and producer with over two decades of experience in the entertainment industry. A consistently high achiever, she is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, was awarded the Chick Evan’s Scholarship for strength of character and high GPA, the Joe Montagna Acting Scholarship, and recently completed the HR Management course at Cornell University with high marks. She has been involved in producing and starring in award-winning theater, shorts, and feature films. Her most recent producing credit with Lone Morsel, #From Jennifer, the third installment in the Jennifer horror series featuring Tony Todd and Derek Meers, has garnered numerous accolades. In addition to her work in film, Danielle Taddei serves as the Operations Manager for an agency that represents celebrity glamour whose styling can be seen on red carpet events, Coachella, the Met Gala, all major magazines, and all prominent film festivals.

JENNIFER GRACE FARMER — Executive Producer
JENNIFER GRACE FARMER is an accomplished producer and actress with many credits to her name. Her Executive Producer credits include Body High, Actor for Hire, It Can Only Be Used Once, Animals (winner of twelve film festival awards) and The Employer (winner of ten film festival awards). She served as an Associate Producer on the critically-acclaimed film The Midnight Swim, and is a lead producer on the upcoming tropical thriller Namaka, in which she also appears on screen in the pivotal role of Luana. Other acting credits include the role of Rafferty’s Wife in Armed Response, co-starring Alan Arkin, Cary Elwes and Ving Rhames, as well as the role of Mrs. Anderson in The Employer, co-starring Malcolm McDowell, David Dastmalchian and Billy Zane.

HUNTER JOHNSON — First Assistant Director
HUNTER JOHNSON is an accomplished independent filmmaker with a wide variety of feature film and series credits. His 20+ years in the film industry brings knowledge, know-how and efficiency to any production he is a part of. He currently Produces content under his brand LAHorror.com, and also operates as the Co-Producer & Assistant Director of 9:16 Productions, an award winning company focusing on mini-series & narrative film content. Previous collaborations with Frank Merle include the award-winning short film Carnage on Graves Farm and the Blood Red sequence from the Uncork’d Entertainment horror anthology Tales from the Other Side, as well as three films in the Jennifer series: 2 Jennifer, which Hunter wrote and directed, and its two sequels, From Jennifer and For Jennifer. Their most recent collaborations have been Adam Albanese’s Divergence and the theatrically released dark fantasy feature Namaka, winner of sixteen film festival awards.

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Contact

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