Our Story
How a one-off, no-budget, short became a series.
L-R: Ravi, Sergio, & Colin review takes on the set of GRAVE DECISIONS (season 1)
L-R: Sergio and Colin act in THIS IS NOT A DRILL while Ravi films. Sound Man Chase Hart helps out. (Season 1)
Once upon a time, in the whimsical world of no-budget filmmaking, there existed a little gem called "THIS IS NOT A DRILL." It was the brainchild of two actors, a director, and a combined budget that could barely cover lunch at Taco Bell. Nevertheless, the trio decided to dance with destiny, and little did they know that they were about to create magic on a shoestring budget.
Armed with passion and a hundred bucks each, they embraced ACTRA's co-op agreement and birthed a short film that defied its financial constraints. Miraculously, it played in a couple great festivals, leaving the audiences scratching their heads, wondering how a movie with no money or crew could elicit such belly laughs.
To be honest, the filmmakers themselves were not sure either. But not content with a one-hit wonder, the team decided to delve deeper into the characters. They added another actor to the mix, and lo and behold, the funny continued to flow. The second short film (YOU HIRED A HITMAN) emerged, and Festivals welcomed it, and more importantly, audiences responded like they had stumbled upon a hidden treasure.
Then, in a burst of inspiration, the team realized they weren't just making films; they were crafting a series! Okay, full disclosure: that inspiration was COVID and that meant their festival route was no longer a viable path. So they made another film (THE GRAVE DECISION), packaged their trilogy under the name "I WILL BURY YOU" and their accidental series was unleashed upon the world.
And holy shit—it got over a hundred thousand views.
Buoyed by the unexpected success, the team dared to dream bigger. A second season was in the cards, and this time, they had a little financial wind beneath their wings. Thanks to the support of CMF and Ontario Creates - and the generous help of William F Whites, the team found themselves on Canada’s biggest backlot, ready to turn their quirky series into a semi-fledged production.
The result was an ambitious second season that retained all the heart and hilarity of the first. The trio finally found themselves with the resources to serve their story properly, and the series blossomed into something beyond their wildest dreams.
At least we hope. In truth, the director is writing this blurb before we even release the second season, so who knows – at this point we just hope you love it as much as we do.
The moral of this story? Not sure. But something we learned in making this is that we will continue to dream big, even on a small budget.
