FEATURE FILM PROPOSAL

Behind a series of locks lives Michael Letto, a brilliant but paranoid neuroscientist. Since his first and only love died, he’s become consumed with unlocking the mystery of sleep. Based on the principles of yoga, Michael invents a chair that enables one to attain a full night’s sleep in a matter of minutes. When his theories catch the attention of the military and a religious order that wants to use his research to attain enlightenment, a dangerous cat and mouse begins as Michael’s world deteriorates.

LOGLINE

R.E.M.

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213-304-14123

R.E.M.

Sleep. It’s as old as time itself. It controls our lives. It dictates certain activities and controls how our days play out. But what if it didn’t anymore? Thousands of years ago, yogi in India were able to get a full rest in minutes or a few short hours by entering the state of yoga nidra, or yogic sleep. It was my fascination with this subject that propelled me into further research, culminating in the idea of a chair that tricks your brain, putting it through the stages of R.E.M. in a fraction of the time humans spend sleeping.

Imagine a world where you could get a full night of sleep in an hour. What would your life be like at full speed every hour of every day? Human beings spend a third of their lives sleeping. What would you do with all of that extra time? Is your love strong enough that it could span two lifetimes? This is the central theme that drives R.E.M . It is not so much about the creation of the chair by a reclusive scientist, but what happens when he actually completes the chair.

Regardless of genre, I find that I always gravitate towards stories about gifted main characters whose inner-struggles seek to wreck the greatness they possess. Films such as A Beautiful Mind or Pi . Haunted by visions of his lost love and trapped within the confines of his own brilliant mind, our hero, Michael Letto, is this type of character. As the story unfolds he unravels with it. I envision the film’s aesthetic matching its somber tone. Crushed blacks,

desolate grays and cool greens serve as the color palette. Raw, exposed concrete and the filth of the decaying city that surround Michael render the setting.

r, I know first hand what it is like to be trapped in your own brain. Thoughts that constantly repeat themselves, propelling your activities into obsessions. The feeling of confinement as

y. Stylistic choices will be made to catch this feeling and put the viewer in Michael’s reality. Lenses will get tighter and tighter, subconsciously putting the viewer into a cramped space. Smoother camera moves will give way to a shakier style as Michael comes apart at the seams. The score will get sparse and sounds will be limited but amplified as he retreats into himself. Then, these visual and aural trends will reverse themselves as Michael puts things back into perspective. And by the end, a sweeping, brightly colored wide shot will send Michael on his voyage into a perpetual dreamland.

R.E.M will take the audience on a thrilling spiritual journey. It is not my goal to make a forgettable romantic comedy or an obtuse character piece and I refuse to let R.E.M. exist among a crowded marketplace of films with tired subject matters. The aim is to challenge people with the medium, leave lingering questions and a lasting impression long after they have seen the film.D

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Michael Letto is a brilliant neuroscientist working on a solution for the human need for sleep. He

his life, Eva, and has difficulty finding closure in her death. Because of this, Michael develops insomnia, which only fuels his obsession with completing SOMA, a machine that recreates the R.E.M. cycles of a full night’s sleep in a matter of minutes. While he pushes forward in his work his life has degraded to the point of becoming distant to his police officer brother Jimmy, an estranged son to his dying mother, an introvert with only one semblance of a friend, his aging mentor Kolos, and an ever growing paranoia that people are out to steal his invention from him for their own devious devices. This is punctuated by the appearance of a Lieutenant Armstrong who tries to convince Michael to combine his research with the government’s. But it is a seemingly good-natured priest that poses the biggest threat to Michael. The secret order he belongs to would like to use Michael’s invention to speak to God and they will stop at nothing to attain it. He turns to

Arella, a clerk in a local bookstore he frequents, for companionship… and the young artist finally starts to gain ground in connecting with him.

Once Michael cracks SOMA, he’s not only able to sleep, but it allows him to spend fleeting moments with his deceased love. He also discovers that with so many waking hours in a day he now has too much time on his hands and nothing to fill it with. So he retreats to the machine, spending more and more time with Eva. As Michael becomes addicted to using the machine and less interested in dealing with reality, his paranoia and dependency start to build until he trusts no one and subtracts himself from all that is present and real. He comes to believe that everyone, including his friends and family, are conspiring against him and that they are out to steal his invention.

When he comes to the realization that there is no one he can trust, he decides to destroy the machine and go to the only place where he is truly content, at Eva’s side. Michael goes to sleep for the last time and joins his lost love for all eternity.

Michael Letto is a brilliant neuroscientist working on a solution for the human need for sleep. He su�ers through the tragedy of losing the love of his life, Eva, and has difficulty finding closure in her death. Because of this, Michael develops insomnia, which only fuels his obsession with completing SOMA, a machine that recreates the R.E.M. cycles of a full night’s sleep in a matter of minutes. While he pushes forward in his work his life has degraded to the point of becoming distant to his police officer brother Jimmy, an estranged son to his dying mother, an introvert with only one semblance of a friend, his aging mentor Kolos, and an ever growing paranoia that people are out to steal his invention from him for their own devious devices. This is punctuated by the appearance of a Lieutenant Armstrong who tries to convince Michael to combine his research with the government’s. But it is a seemingly good-natured priest that poses the biggest threat to Michael. The secret order he belongs to would like to use Michael’s invention to speak to God and they will stop at nothing to attain it. He turns to

Arella, a clerk in a local bookstore he frequents, for companionship… and the young artist finally starts to gain ground in connecting with him.

Once Michael cracks SOMA, he’s not only able to sleep, but it allows him to spend fleeting moments with his deceased love. He also discovers that with so many waking hours in a day he now has too much time on his hands and nothing to fill it with. So he retreats to the machine, spending more and more time with Eva. As Michael becomes addicted to using the machine and less interested in dealing with reality, his paranoia and dependency start to build until he trusts no one and subtracts himself from all that is present and real. He comes to believe that everyone, including his friends and family, are conspiring against him and that they are out to steal his invention.

When he comes to the realization that there is no one he can trust, he decides to destroy the machine and go to the only place where he is truly content, at Eva’s side. Michael goes to sleep for the last time and joins his lost love for all eternity.

SYNOPSIS

Currently in production, the graphic novel for R.E.M.will be completed during the Fall of 2012 and released in the Winter of 2013. It is being drawn andinked by fresh Hungarian talent Zsombor Huszka. Although young, Zsombor had tremendous success overseas and is ready to make a big splash in the States.

THE GRAPHIC NOVEL

PRIMER

Budget: $7,000Return: $424,760

Four friends and fledgling entrepreneurs, knowing that there’s something bigger and more innovative than the

checking devices they’ve built, wrestle over their new invention.

PI: FAITH IN CHAOS

Budget: $60,000Return: $3,221,152

Max is a genius mathematician who’s built a supercomputer at home that provides something that can be understood as a key for understanding all existence. Representatives both from a Hasidic cabalistic sect and high-powered Wall Street firm hear of that secret and attempt to seduce him.

THE MACHINIST

Budget: N/AReturn: $8,203,235

Tand hasn’t slept in a year. Slowly, he begins to doubt his sanity as increasingly bizarre things start happening at work and at home. Haunted by a deformed co-worker who no one seems to think exists, and an ongoing stream of indecipherable Post-It notes he keeps finding on his fridge, he attempts to investigate what appears to be a mysterious plot against him and, in the process, embroils two women in his madness.

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Ryan ColucciWriter/Director/Producer

Ryan is an alumnus of the prestigious Peter Stark ProducingMFA Program at USC. He received his BA in Film Studies and Production from Hofstra University, graduating SumaCum Laude. Before that he pursued a degree in Accountingfrom Villanova University and spent a year at CambridgeUniversity in England studying Economics and Political Science. He is a member of the Lambda Pi Eta Communications Honor Society as well as the Gamma Phi Business Honor Society.

having worked in development for Artisan/Lionsgate (Blair Witch Project, The Punisher) and Disney (Pirates of theCaribbean, Freaky Friday). In the summer of 2011, he

White Spacestarring Holt McCallany, which is currently in post-production.Ryan also worked at Snoot Entertainment, where he was aproducer on the CG-animated feature Battle for Terra 3D,which was released nationwide through Lionsgate in Mayof 2009.

Ryan Colucci is teaming up with Warner Brothers to produce Terry Brooks’ Shannara books in total). Terry is the fourth best-selling fantasy author of all time, behind only JRR Tolkien, JK Rawlings andCS Lewis. Along with Mike the Pike Productions, he is alsoproducing George R.R. Martin’s World Sci-Fi Award-winning The Skin Trade, a horror novella by the acclaimedNY Times #1 best-selling author from an anthology of thesame name, also featuring stories by Stephen King.

Ryan started Spoke Lane Entertainment to produce a

Harbor Moon. Financed independently and produced bySpoke Lane, the werewolf spaghetti western debuted torave reviews in April of 2011 through Shuster Award-winning publisher Arcana Studio. It was nominated fora Goodreads and Horror Comic Award for Best OriginalGraphic Novel. His follow-up graphic novels, R.E.M., Bulderlyns and Chasing Rabbits are currently in productionand look to make their debut in 2012 and 2013 as partof a joint venture with Mike the Pike Productions.

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Ryan ColucciWriter/Director/Producer

Ryan is an alumnus of the prestigious Peter Stark ProducingMFA Program at USC. He received his BA in Film Studies and Production from Hofstra University, graduating SumaCum Laude. Before that he pursued a degree in Accountingfrom Villanova University and spent a year at CambridgeUniversity in England studying Economics and Political Science. He is a member of the Lambda Pi Eta Communications Honor Society as well as the Gamma Phi Business Honor Society.

having worked in development for Artisan/Lionsgate (Blair Witch Project, The Punisher) and Disney (Pirates of theCaribbean, Freaky Friday). In the summer of 2011, he

White Spacestarring Holt McCallany, which is currently in post-production.Ryan also worked at Snoot Entertainment, where he was aproducer on the CG-animated feature Battle for Terra 3D,which was released nationwide through Lionsgate in Mayof 2009.

Ryan Colucci is teaming up with Warner Brothers to produce Terry Brooks’ Shannara books in total). Terry is the fourth best-selling fantasy author of all time, behind only JRR Tolkien, JK Rawlings andCS Lewis. Along with Mike the Pike Productions, he is alsoproducing George R.R. Martin’s World Sci-Fi Award-winning The Skin Trade, a horror novella by the acclaimedNY Times #1 best-selling author from an anthology of thesame name, also featuring stories by Stephen King.

Ryan started Spoke Lane Entertainment to produce a

Harbor Moon. Financed independently and produced bySpoke Lane, the werewolf spaghetti western debuted torave reviews in April of 2011 through Shuster Award-winning publisher Arcana Studio. It was nominated fora Goodreads and Horror Comic Award for Best OriginalGraphic Novel. His follow-up graphic novels, R.E.M., Bulderlyns and Chasing Rabbits are currently in productionand look to make their debut in 2012 and 2013 as partof a joint venture with Mike the Pike Productions.

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producer’s track at Columbia College. His executive background includes his work as a wealth manager at a

his Series 7 & 66 licenses and helped structure creative solutions for C-Level executives and entrepreneuers.

Newbauer formed Mike the Pike Films to package andproduce projects with high production value, taking advantage of on-location resources, in-kind gifts and taxincentives to allow for maximum production value.

After more than a decade in the entertainment industry,

and the business sense necessary for a thriving brand, andlaunched Mike the Pike Productions, a full-spectrum

Graphic Novel Entertainment. Recently, Newbauer

winning werewolf thriller, George R.R. Martin’s TheSkin Trade; and in 2011, he produced White Space, an

Zulay Henao. In aerly 2012, Mike the Pike Productionsacquired Saint James Films as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Saint James Films specializes in low-budget,

& &Jens-Peter SjöbergOdd Post

R.E.M.

Producer, Visual E�ects

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Jessee ClarksonNascent Perspective Studios

Jessee Clarkson is an award nominated Production Designer

his extensive background includes model and miniature

in the art department on smash hits such as The Dark Knight,Iron Man, Shutter Island, Watchmen, Road Trip and The Patriot. He has designed several music videos including Janelle Monae’s ‘Tightrope’, Broken Bells’ ‘The Ghost Inside’and Pic Vicious’ ‘Mirror Box’.

In early 2009, Jessee founded Nascent Perspective Studiosto provide complete concept-to-construction scenary, props

productions. His hands-on approach to design, an eye forextreme detail, rich color palettes and creative problem solving have insured that Jessee is now a sought after Production Designer. He recently wrapped production on

in post-production for Nascent Perspective is The Proxy, from Psychopia Films. Other projects designed by Jesseeand Nascent Perspective include ‘Tim Armstrong’s Rock n’

Lovett’s ‘Ghost of Old Highways’, directed by Dan Bush.

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Production Design

Jens-Peter Sjöberg has worke d in the �lm industry for over 18 years and has his background in post-production and VFX. He has worked on blockbuster movies such as Lord of the Rings, The Golden Compass, Superman Returns and Harry Potter. In 2012, he started Odd Post and Odd Pictures. Recently he Co-Produced one of Swedens most talked about movies of 2012, Den Heta Sanningen (The Truth) directed by the Swedish director Johan Lundh.

Odd Post is a highly creative and �exible post-production company that consists of experienced and engaged artists in every �eld of the post-production pipeline. Although based in Stockholm, Sweden, they collaborate with directors and creative agencies from all around the world. Their people are their craft, their power, and the core in their company. They have handpicked artists that have the expertise to create images to the level our clients expect, and beyond.

Thank you for your interest.

Ryan Colucci

213-304-1412

ryan@spokelane.com

For more information on R.E.M. please contact: