Sam and Mattie are best friends from Rhode Island. The two met at the Special Olympics in grade school and have been close ever since. On October 17th they launched a Kickstarter project to raise funds to film what promises to be an epic teen zombie movie and making-of documentary.
This Kickstarter campaign is being run by a group of Sam and Mattie’s friends, organized by Sam’s older brother Jesse. Even though the two teen boys have a wide range of interests (including skateboarding, girls, and DJs), they both have a love of cinema. Their Kickstarter page explains that they’ve been talking about this movie for years:
“Every time they get together, they draw up storyboards, practice fight scenes, film with their iPhones (then pair those scenes with dream soundtracks), and endlessly debate celebrity cameos. They have been so passionate about this film for so long, that their friends and family decided it was time to help them make it happen FOR REAL.”
In an interview with Buzzfeed News Mattie and Sam said that, “their dream cast includes The Rock, John Cena, and Jersey Shore’s DJ Pauly D.”
While their goal of $50,000 may seem high, backers are ensured that it will be well worth it to get behind this future cult classic. Their budget will be going towards the making of two films – the zombie film (packed with explosions, jet packs, special effects, zombie makeup, etc.) and a making-of documentary. They already a team together who are eager to get this thing started, which so far includes: Bobby Carnevale (Zombie Film Director/Director of Photography), Suzy Beck (Producer), and Tim Forster (Documentary Director and Editor).
The funds raised will also go towards the many rewards that that Mattie and Sam are offering backers – and they should get extra credit for their creativity! A few fun rewards they are offering backers include tickets to the film screening for two in either New York City or Rhode Island, movie props, speaking and zombie extra roles in the film, your name spray-painted on the wall in one of their scenes with a picture to show off to your friends, breakfast for dinner with Sam and Mattie, and the opportunity to sign Mattie’s chest (girls preferred).
Sam & Mattie’s Teen Zombie Movie + Making-Of Documentary! has been named Project of the Day by Kickstarter and is a Kickstarter Staff Pick. The Farrelly Brothers have also taken an interest in the project, tweeting, “Now this is something that deserves to go viral–I’m getting behind Sam and Mattie!”
The team stresses that by supporting this project you are not just backing a zombie film; you are supporting Sam and Mattie’s careers, the Rhode Island film industry, the fulfillment of teenage dreams, and “[a] documentary with the potential to inspire every single person on planet earth.”
With eight days left until the end of their campaign they have raised just over $28,000 of their $50,000 goal on Kickstarter. Their project ends on Wednesday, November 19th, 2014.
