Here at the Independent, our staff is made up of many creative people who help make our paper great each week. Our staff often work on other projects too, and this week we are highlighting one from our production designer, Jill Critelli: a film called Typecast or (The Rise and Fall of Boingman).
In this outrageously dark indie comedy, Clyde Cuddley is a small-town movie-theater employee with big dreams: to move to Hollywood and become an actor. However, his first few weeks in Los Angeles are anything but glamorous. Working sporadically as a bottom-feeding background actor and suffering one humiliation after another, Clyde is pressured to join a mysterious new acting school that guarantees its students fame and fortune. In the end, as he loses his morals and gains the world, Clyde discovers that his incredible rise is destined for an equally dramatic fall. This film is available to stream through the Austin Lift-Off Film Festival (Liftoff Global Network); it’s part of the Features category, available through May 6.
Critelli, a producer of the film along with her husband, Mike, explained how the idea came to life: “Last summer, 60,000-plus TV and film actors went on strike against major studios, and we felt like it was a perfect moment to make something totally rogue and independent. That’s how Typecast or (The Rise and Fall of Boingman) came to be. Mike and his best buddy Clem Darling, who stars as Clyde Cuddley, came up with the idea and wrote the script in under two months. Before we knew it, we were already in production. Mike was especially inspired by a tweet from Mark Ruffalo in July to his fellow actors: ‘How about we all jump into indies now?’
“It’s a full 96-minute film on a microbudget with a micro cast and crew. A satirical ‘rags to riches’ L.A. fable. We shot 50 percent of the film in Santa Barbara venues like Rascal’s Vegan and Second Level Studio (plus a lot of friends’ apartments, houses, and yards), with an assortment of local rising talent: comedians Chris Williams and Samantha Bearman; actors Ben Thomas and Rachel Brown; and 2023’s ‘Saint Barbara’ herself, Lisa Osborn. We shot all summer, edited all fall, and now it’s running the festival circuit!
“Typecast … has been awarded ‘Best Actor,’ ‘Best Cinematography,’ and ‘Best Indie Feature’ at various regional festivals. It’s currently an ‘Official Selection’ among Features at The Austin Lift-Off Film Festival, now available to stream online to audiences worldwide through May 6. More info @typecastboingman on IG.
“Film is extremely challenging, and it truly takes a village like Santa Barbara. Our main message is to encourage other filmmakers to follow their artistic instincts, and for friends, family, and businesses to support local filmmaking.”
You can click here to see the trailer for Typecast or (The Rise and Fall of Boingman). Please note that this film is rated R for content and language.
Premier Events
Fri, May 17
12:00 PM
Santa Barbara
A Taste of Africa Cultural Extravaganza at UCSB
Sat, May 18
7:00 PM
Santa Barbara
A Taste of Africa Cultural Extravaganza at UCSB
Thu, May 16
7:30 PM
Santa Barbara
Jazz at the Lobero Presents The Marcus Roberts Trio
Fri, May 17
7:00 PM
Goleta
Viva el Arte Presents Jarabe Mexicano
Tue, May 21
7:00 PM
Santa Barbara
Revisiting the Classics: “Schmigadoon!”
Thu, May 23
7:00 PM
Carpinteria
The Carpinteria High School Muses Present “The Wizard of Oz” Musical
Fri, May 24
11:00 AM
Santa Barbara
Discussion: Misogyny, Racism & Violence at UCSB: The IV Killings 10 Years Later
Fri, May 24
7:00 PM
Santa Barbara
SBHS Annual Spring Dance Concert 2024
Sat, May 25
3:00 PM
Santa Barbara
Canary Hotel Rooftop: Suns Out Buns out with LeFunk Sounds
Sat, May 25
8:00 PM
Carpinteria
Rich Tell Presents: The Thom Rotella Band
Sun, May 26
11:00 AM
93103, Santa Barbara, CA
Memorial Day Weekender PJ Brunch!
Sun, May 26
12:00 PM
Santa Barbara
Market at Pali Wine Co
Fri, May 17 12:00 PM
Santa Barbara
A Taste of Africa Cultural Extravaganza at UCSB
Sat, May 18 7:00 PM
Santa Barbara
A Taste of Africa Cultural Extravaganza at UCSB
Thu, May 16 7:30 PM
Santa Barbara
Jazz at the Lobero Presents The Marcus Roberts Trio
Fri, May 17 7:00 PM
Goleta
Viva el Arte Presents Jarabe Mexicano
Tue, May 21 7:00 PM
Santa Barbara
Revisiting the Classics: “Schmigadoon!”
Thu, May 23 7:00 PM
Carpinteria
The Carpinteria High School Muses Present “The Wizard of Oz” Musical
Fri, May 24 11:00 AM
Santa Barbara
Discussion: Misogyny, Racism & Violence at UCSB: The IV Killings 10 Years Later
Fri, May 24 7:00 PM
Santa Barbara
SBHS Annual Spring Dance Concert 2024
Sat, May 25 3:00 PM
Santa Barbara
Canary Hotel Rooftop: Suns Out Buns out with LeFunk Sounds
Sat, May 25 8:00 PM
Carpinteria
Rich Tell Presents: The Thom Rotella Band
Sun, May 26 11:00 AM
93103, Santa Barbara, CA
Memorial Day Weekender PJ Brunch!
Sun, May 26 12:00 PM
Santa Barbara