Official Feature Film Pitch Deck Written & Directed By Alejandro Montoya Marin Love is not like in the movies... right? Synopsis LOW/FI was created with a delicate balance between comedy and drama. It analyzes the life of Lea, a woman in her early 30’s, who has been heavily influenced by pop culture since childhood. After years of mimicking and adhering to advice conveyed through music and film, she is disappointed to find that life isn’t panning out as expected and she is slipping further away from her dreams. Lea then stumbles across the startling realization that she has fallen for the tricks and lies coerced by mainstream society. But everyone knows as adults, being yourself is what is important and it is a lesson that Lea learns throughout the film. Logline: Lea has spent her whole life thinking that love is like movies and tv. After a series of terrible relationships, Lea decides to purge pop culture from her life in an attempt to find real love and the real meaning of her life. Theme: Pop culture gives us unrealistic expectations about the nature of love and life. Tone: The quirkiness of “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” meets the quarter-life drama of “Garden State.” Director’s Statement LOW/FI is very near and dear to my heart. Although the main character, Lea, is female, I completely identify with her and my intuition tells me that people from all walks of life and from various generations will, as well. Music is a universal art that spikes emotions at any given time. Songs about love, despair, and romance all have a significant place in this feature film. I produced a deliberate harmony between drama and comedy with heartfelt authenticity and every note from this soundtrack will be felt with intense passion. A lot of people take music for granted and see it as filler. However, music to me is one of the key elements of filmmaking and is equally as important as editing and acting. It helps the audience empathize with Lea and serves as a subconscious guide through her personal journey. Amazing movies like PULP FICTION, 500 DAYS OF SUMMER, RUSHMORE, ALMOST FAMOUS, and GARDEN STATE” understood this and have managed to stay in moviegoer’s hearts and minds for years after initial release. With a movie like LOW/FI, where music and films are what corrupted and inspired our main character, the perfect beats and lyrics are crucial to portray what it’s like to be in the head of an eternal romantic inspired by the art and music. Every movie has a style and this one definitely has one. LOW/FI will be the equivalent of a romantic GOODFELLAS. High-energy cuts and montages will be used to reflect the pop culture that we are living in now and will utilize influences and references from music videos and commercials of the 90’s. I pride myself on utilizing high energy but injecting it with moments of real drama and humanity in order to allow the audience to breathe and reflect of the franticness that engulfs Lea’s reality. I’ve been working for years making short films, music videos, and commercials in order to have the skills to tell this story. This film is the culmination of my hard work and I’m ready for everything that entails. - Alejandro Montoya Marin Writer/Director The Short Film We filmed and promoted the LOW/FI short film both nationally and internationally. It has been very well received in London, Mexico, France, Spain, Colombia and in the United States, where we have screened in more than 25 film festivals and won more than 15 awards. Some of our major points of pride include winning BEST SHORT FILM in festivals like The Albuquerque Film Festival, Gallup Film Festival, Santa Fe Film Festival and the Las Cruces Film Festival. My goal is to obtain a sensible budget to pay crew and allow my imagination to fly while creating a moral and entertaining project that resonates amongst thousands of people. I am certain this short film can be successfully turned into an amazing feature film that generations old and young can enjoy. - Alejandro Montoya Marin Writer/Director “LOW/FI features exceptional direction by Alejandro Montoya Marin, superb performances and a clever script.” - Boom Film Reviews “Director Alejandro Montoya Marin has done a fantastic job... An immaculate film! Definitely going down as one of my favorites.” - Shortofthemonth.com Click Here to Watch Password: lowfi The Short Film Cannes Film Festival (Short Film Corner) - Official Selection Raindance Film Festival - Official Selection Napa Valley Film Festival - Official Selection Durango Film Festival - Official Selection Catalina Film Festival - Official Selection Ft. Lauderdale Film Festival - Official Selection Film Score Film Festival - Official Selection Roswell Film Festival - WINNER - Best Actor, Director, Editing Santa Fe Film Festival - WINNER - Best NM Short Film Albuquerque Film Festival - WINNER - Best Short Film Filmstock Film Festival - WINNER - Best Director Ukraine International Film Festival - WINNER - Best Short Gallup Film Festival - WINNER - Best Short Film, Actress, Director, Editing The People’s Film Festival NYC - WINNER - Best Comedy Style, Location, and Character Reference 500 Days of Summer Jerry Maguire Scott Pilgrim vs The World Almost Famous Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl Garden State Narrative Themes Strong Female Lead Comedy of Errors Whimsical Delight Personal Discovery Hope Through Pain Jealousy Self Acceptance Quirky Comedy Similar Budget Levels In A World Obvious Child The One I Love BUDGET: LESS THAN $1 MILLION; BUDGET LESS THAN $1 MILLION; BUDGET LESS THAN $1 MILLION; REVENUE: $3.3 MILLION REVENUE $3.3 MILLION REVENUE $2.8 MILLION CAST: LAKE BELL, ROB CORDDRY CAST: JENNY SLATE, PAUL BRIGANTI CAST: MARK DUPLASS, WINNER: SUNDANCE FILM WINNER: BEST COMEDIC ACTRESS ELIZABETH MOSS FESTIVAL BEST SCREEN PLAY CRITIC’S CHOICE AWARDS PREMIERED AT THE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL PROJECT TIMELINE Pre-Production (3 Months) During this period the Company will hire all crew, scout and secure filming locations, secure rentals for camera and lighting packages and prepare shooting schedules, etc. At this time all talent will be cast and finalized. Press releases are prepped and media contact lists are prepped. Production (5 Weeks) The production period will be the time that the principal photography will take place. After this time all of the scenes for the film will be completed and “placed in the can”! Press releases are sent out at the beginning of the production phase. At the end of principal photography we launch the online marketing campaign (to include social media). Post-Production (3 to 4 Months) During the post-production period the director and editor will select the best “takes” of the various scenes and edit those takes into an assembly of the first rough cut. Once the film has gone through editing the project moves through various departments for finalizing the show. Example: music, color correction, closed captioning, sound design, and final sound mix. Distribution (In Negotiation) During distribution phase, the distributor will partner with our PR Company to create a multi-platform social media campaign to drive viewership, gain sponsors and adver- tisers. This approach will give us a complete package with enough leverage to shop the show around to distribution networks and channels such as: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more. We will also seek out foreign distribution as well. THE CHARACTERS OF Lea Raised by movies, music, and tv, Lea is a product of pop culture. Unfortunately, it’s her love for pop culture that gives her an unrealistive view of what love is. After a series of bad relationships, Lea decides to cut off pop culture cold turkey in an attempt to find real love. Slightly cynical and at her breaking point, Lea retains a glimmer of optimism and a genuine hope to grow as a person who isn’t only defined by what she likes. Jerry The perfect guy at the imperfect time, Jerry meets Lea at her lowest point and even though he seems perfect on the surface, the news of Lea’s sister’s engagement and Lea’s rash actions make their meet-cute crash and burn. Slightly awkward but with confidence about who he is, Jerry’s charm immediately intrigues Lea. Joni Lea’s little sister who blindsides her with the news of her engagement to Chris after only dating for a short time. Optimistic and charming, Joni has always had a fairly easy life. Men want to be with her, women want to be her. Her good looks open many doors for her but her genuine optimism and good heart can win over anyone. Detective & Femme Fatale The main characters of one of Lea’s favorite childhood films, these two 4th wall-breaking characters act as a conscience and inner monologue for Lea. Gina The best friend who is always there with a shoulder to cry on and a drink to drown your sorrows, Gina is the first person Lea visits after finding out about her sister’s engagement. Gina is always there for Lea as she herself has been through her share of hard times and doesn’t want Lea to go down that same dark path. Bubbly and energetic but with a flawed past of her own, Gina is the yin to Lea’s Yang and the catalyst for her Lea’s fateful meeting with Jerry. Chris The guy who stole Lea’s sister’s heart after only two months, Chris is Joni’s fiancee and the breaking point for Lea. Chris genuinely loves Joni and it’s his open and genuine yet slightly-flawed personality that ultimately wins over Lea.