Not Abel
by Ryan Britton
Not Abel
by Ryan Britton
When his twin brother forsakes the business to protect his family, a tenacious meth dealer sets out on a violent course to prove his worth.
When his twin brother forsakes the business to protect his family, a tenacious meth dealer sets out on a violent course to prove his worth.
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Story
About The Project
Inspired by Nick Reding’s New York Times bestseller, Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town, and by my personal interviews with users and cooks of the American Midwest, this is a narrative grown from the backyard of our nation.
Raised in the wilderness of Franklin County, Missouri (once a national leader in clandestine lab busts), my cousin witnessed the lifestyle and danger behind this volatile designer drug. His stories were terrifying. I had always thought this kind of drug activity only lived in the roughest parts of the city - or on TV.
To my suprise, I learned that three sides of my own family have come into close contact with this drug.
Without question, I had to make a film about it - one that explores how this Pandora’s Box of a drug has dominated the small-town American family.
Unlike AMC’s Breaking Bad, this story takes place in the early 90’s. Before meth became a legend, resourceful laborers and farm-workers started experimenting with household ingredients. My father, once a sheriff of Newton, Illinois, learned that a cook didn’t need the smarts of a chemist to make effective methamphetamines. This designer drug is the product of a half century of experimentation - and all forms of the drug have their own unique high. Our film is a historical prologue of what meth is today.
This film does not mythologize the drug culture. It is an honest portrayal of a place where God and substance abuse are the two choices for coping with economic ruin. This tour of David’s life begins in a storm of pride, poverty, family, faith, and survival.
But it doesn’t end there. This short is the precursor to a narrative that follows David further down the rabbit hole, as the kingdom he’s built costs him his twin brother - and his identity. Through your contributions, you not only directly support this short, but you also plant a seed for the feature to come.
Incentives
$5
Thank You and Facebook Shout-out - With your contribution, you've earned a place in the credits, and we will recognize you on our social media platforms, too!
$10
David's Business Card - In addition to the above, you'll receive NOT ABEL central character David King's two-sided Business Card from the film.
$25
DVD of NOT ABEL - In addition to the above, you've earned a DVD of the film, complete with the finished film, all behind-the-scenes videos and photos, teasers, and original art jacket and jewel case.
$50
NOT ABEL T-shirt or Bluray - All of the above, plus the NOT ABEL T-shirt our cast and crew wear. OR, instead of the T-shirt, you may choose the Bluray of the finished film.
$75
Prop from NOT ABEL - All of the above, plus a surprise prop used on screen in the film. There is no better way to take home a piece of NOT ABEL!
$100
NOT ABEL Original Soundtrack - In addition to the above, you've earned a CD with the NOT ABEL soundtrack, comprised entirely of original music written and recorded by artists across the country. You've already heard their work in the teasers and BTS Logs. This soundtrack has ALL of the original NOT ABEL music.
$250
Lewis's Mesh-back Cap - All of the above, plus a Mesh-back Cap similar to the one David's twin brother Lewis wears in NOT ABEL.
$1,000
Associate Producer - Your contributions merit more than just gifts. You have staked a tentpole in the production of this film, and for that you have earned an Associate Producer credit, in addition the above. Thank You!
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$5
Thank You and Facebook Shout-out - With your contribution, you've earned a place in the credits, and we will recognize you on our social media platforms, too!
$10
David's Business Card - In addition to the above, you'll receive NOT ABEL central character David King's two-sided Business Card from the film.
$25
DVD of NOT ABEL - In addition to the above, you've earned a DVD of the film, complete with the finished film, all behind-the-scenes videos and photos, teasers, and original art jacket and jewel case.
$50
NOT ABEL T-shirt or Bluray - All of the above, plus the NOT ABEL T-shirt our cast and crew wear. OR, instead of the T-shirt, you may choose the Bluray of the finished film.
$75
Prop from NOT ABEL - All of the above, plus a surprise prop used on screen in the film. There is no better way to take home a piece of NOT ABEL!
$100
NOT ABEL Original Soundtrack - In addition to the above, you've earned a CD with the NOT ABEL soundtrack, comprised entirely of original music written and recorded by artists across the country. You've already heard their work in the teasers and BTS Logs. This soundtrack has ALL of the original NOT ABEL music.
$250
Lewis's Mesh-back Cap - All of the above, plus a Mesh-back Cap similar to the one David's twin brother Lewis wears in NOT ABEL.
$1,000
Associate Producer - Your contributions merit more than just gifts. You have staked a tentpole in the production of this film, and for that you have earned an Associate Producer credit, in addition the above. Thank You!
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Ryan Britton. Writer-Director-Production Designer. Ryan investigates social issues and sheds light on the oppressed and misunderstood, like in his most recent film To Be Gray (official selection of the Dallas International, San Antonio, and Boston LGBT film festivals). With the background of an experimental filmmaker at Southern Illinois Univ. Carbondale, Ryan paints with a somewhat abstract brush as a director and production designer. Also a highly skilled carpenter, he has built several shooting sets for films, as well as custom rigging for stunts and effects. Ryan is completing his masters at UT Arlington this year.
Jordan Scott Price. Producer. Jordan is the Creative Director of Flying Canvas Pictures, a DFW-based creative media company that specializes in film production and digital media. While earning his bachelors at UT Arlington, Jordan directed and produced videos for Southwest Airlines for two years. Fourth and Orchard, the first film he wrote and directed, was an official selection of twelve festivals and a Best Shorts Award winner. Jordan has also worked as a cinematographer, shooting over a dozen short and feature films.
Brendan Feltrup-Exum. Associate Producer. Brendan is the Creative Director of Haywire Studios, a production company that produces training videos and commercials, and he's a certified pyrotechnician, weapons handler, and special effects operator. After undergraduate study, Brendan worked with KERA PBS in Dallas and on several Hollywood features. Now in his second year of the Masters program at UT Arlington, Brendan is writing and directing his own projects, like Endeavour.
Robbie Curtis. Director of Photography. Robbie is as versatile as they come. Among other things, he is a cinematographer, assistant director, and documentary filmmaker. His award-winning documentary Masq’d Hope is an uncomfortably close capture of the Occupy Dallas movement. Robbie also worked for the production manager on the film Last Vegas, starring Robert De Niro, set to release in November, and for D Magazine, Dallas’s variety entertainment circular. Currently, he is editing a cable TV show for AMS Pictures. Robbie also earned his bachelors from UT Arlington.
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