Plant Life
	a Short Film from

Blue Pippin Productions
11901 Santa Monica Blvd #616
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 213-5420
Fax: (310) 391-6599
info@bluepippin.com
www.bluepippin.com

Press Kit

Runtime:	00 hr : 13 min : 34 sec
Genres:	Comedy, Spoof, Mock-documentary, Satire
Niches:	LGBT
Completed:	January 2012
Country:	U S A
Budget:	Aprox. $2,500 - Self funded
Format:	DVD and Quicktime
Print Details:	Color + B/W, shot on SD Video
Film Sound:	Dolby Digital
Ratios:	1.33 (4x3 VIDEO)

Website:		plantlife.bluepippin.com
Facebook Page:	“plantlifefilm”

Production Facts

--Plant Life is probably the first movie starring an actual plant as a love interest
--It’s not the first movie with man and plant relations: please refer to the ground-breaking horror film Day of the Triffids and the suspense thriller The Kirlian Witness.
--Shot on four different cameras, including a flip cam
--Production took so long that a spider who had taken up residence in one of the video tapes sued for wrongful eviction
--This is the director’s first film after swearing he would never direct again

Background

Some years ago, the writers noticed that their iguana, Blue, was keeping company with a potted sago palm (the real-life Gary) on their deck. The dialogue between the two creatures seemed to grow into a relationship, with the iguana not only hanging around the palm but often ostensibly reacting to some communication by the palm that had gone unheard by the primates.

Then, in the summer of 2008, Californians were bombarded with campaign ads whipping up voters emotions in order to pass Proposition 8, the so-called “California Marriage Protection Act,” a ballot initiative intending to amend California’s constitution to forbid same-sex couples from marrying. Unfortunately, it passed. (If you have been living under a rock, or perhaps some utopian place where such things simply don’t occur to people, check out Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_8.) This resulted in a lot of social commentary from many different points of view. To the writers, however, it seemed evident that there was a story here that needed to be told.

Writers are advised to write what they know. Plant Life, true to that admonition, is the result of the writers writing what they learned. Only, in this film, the iguana was changed into a human. After all, who would believe that an iguana could have a relationship with a plant?

Synopsis

(50 words)
A man, a plant, a love that truly passes all understanding.... This satirical mock documentary examines the controversial relationship of a unique pair from the viewpoint of friends, family, experts, and activists. The film challenges what society considers natural, acceptable, valuable... and reminds us that “True love never stops growing.”

(133 words)
A man, a plant, a love that truly passes understanding.... This tongue-in-cheek mock documentary tells the story of Greg, an ‘average man’, and his partner Glen, a ficus benjamina. It explores their lives: how they met and grew together, how their relationship was viewed by family and friends, the insights professionals brought to their connection, the controversies they provoked and the roadblocks they had to challenge. And of course, it depicts their fate within a society that resists redefining the norms of what is natural, acceptable, and valuable. The unlikely pair’s story reminds us of the unfathomable connections that bind all creatures on the planet—and makes us aware that, in the words of one of Greg’s fellow Planters, “True love never stops growing.”

What seeds of thought will it plant in you?

(182 words)
A man, a plant, a love that truly passes understanding.... This tongue-in-cheek mock documentary, as much allegory as satire, tells the story of Greg, an ‘average man’, and his partner Glen, a ficus benjamina. On the surface the film simply explores their lives: how they met and grew together, how their relationship was viewed by family and friends, the insights professionals brought to their connection, the controversies they two provoked, the roadblocks they had to challenge on their way to happiness. And of course, it depicts their fate within a society that resists redefining the norms of what is natural, acceptable, and valuable. The film’s secondary comic theme is the rookie documentary filmmaker who makes nearly every mistake in the book, from scaring his talent with the boom mike to allowing his objectivity to be compromised by the documentary subjects. The story of the unlikely pair and their deep bond reminds us of the unfathomable connections that bind all creatures on the planet—and makes us aware that, in the words of one of Greg’s fellow Planters, “True love never stops growing.”

Screening History

As of March 31, 2012, Plant Life has only screened for cast and crew. Plant Life has been selected to screen at the Fresno Film Festival during the shorts program on April 29, 2012.

Director Statement

The Five Stages of Directing

When I first began writing Plant Life with my wife, I had no concept that chasing down this idea would be such a long and twisted expedition. Or that I would direct. I only knew we had a story that we had to tell. And telling it has taken me through what I call “the five stages of directing.”
Stage 1: Denial – “Making a short film can’t be that hard.”
Stage 2: Anger – “Why isn't this working?!!”
Stage 3: Bargaining – “Just once more; I’ll massage your feet!”
Stage 4: Depression – “This sucks! No one will like it.”
Stage 5: (with any luck) Acceptance!

Production Notes

“People Hate Protesting”

During the filming of the protest scenes, which were shot at a local park, several people came up to the director to complain. No, not because we were being too loud but because they disagreed with the protestors!

Finally, someone called the park police. The director explained that we were making a short film. The officer asked if we had a permit and was told that, due to an oversight in the law, we didn’t need one. That sent him back to his car to call his superior.

When he came back, the officer complained that we were standing in the parking lot. Keep in mind, it was early on a Sunday and only our cars were parked there.

Anyway, he didn’t give us a citation but he did sit in his car, revving the engine so we couldn’t get any more shots with sound. We quickly packed up and left.

Thanks, officer! (NOT)

“Would you? Could you, on a boat?”

The proprietors at the kayak rental place in Marina Del Rey had no problem with what we were doing—hey, you pay them, you can bring whatever as long as it’s legal and safe. This is Hollywood! But during filming, we did attract a number of tourists on the docks who found this guy taking a plant out for a kayak ride pretty funny. All at once there was a crowd of people pointing and laughing. I think it may have helped garner business for the kayak people!