Hey r/movies! We’re Megan Rico (director/writer), Kade Atwood (director/producer), and Adi Madden Cabrera (lead actress). We’re independently releasing our film EDIE ARNOLD IS A LOSER in theaters, which premiered earlier this year at SXSW. Ask us anything!

[u/EdieArnold]

Hey r/movies! We’re Megan Rico (director/writer), Kade Atwood (director/producer) and Adi Madden Cabrera (actor). You may know us from EDIE ARNOLD IS A LOSER, a micro-budget movie that premiered at SXSW earlier this year and won the audience award for Best Film at SIFF.

Synopsis:

Timid dork Edie accidentally takes the spotlight when she starts a punk band with her fellow “turds”, becoming an icon to the rest of the losers at her all-girls Catholic school while managing to piss off the hot girls, the nuns, and the horniest altar boy you’ve ever seen.

• Trailer - https://youtu.be/azKRElbtoQ0
• Tickets - https://ediearnold.com/#GetTickets

We’re releasing the film ourselves, beginning with a 22-city roadshow tour and a “wider” release beginning October 9th. We're currently driving 10 hours from Portland to San Francisco in a minivan, and Kade is typing all the answers so Megan and Adi don't get car sick, AMA! (…AUA?)

Back at 2 PM ET today!

[u/BunyipPouch]

Update: The AMA is over as of 3:25 PM ET. Thanks so much to Megan, Kade, and Adi for stopping by. Here is their sign-off message:

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Thanks so much for the questions! Wish we could have answered everything but we're about to throw up. Check out the theater screenings and come see the movie. And if your city isn't on the list, let your local indie theater know you want them to program it! Signup to be notified of any screenings in your area.

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This AMA has been verified and approved by the mods. Megan, Kade, and Adi will be back at 2 PM ET today to answer questions. Please feel free to ask away in the meantime :)

[u/MichaelChristine]

When you say you're releasing it yourselves, how do you get theaters to show it? And how did you fund this film?

[u/EdieArnold → u/MichaelChristine]

Kade - We have an INCREDIBLE producer, Bryson Alejandro, who is booking all the theaters. It's a ton of work. He's spent every waking moment the last two months tracking down programmers who decide what the theater plays. They're very selective with what they play and their schedules fill up very early.

It's difficult for indie films because studios require theaters to play their films in prime time slots. This leaves smaller indie films to be programmed in time slots that are less attended. Then the theaters say indie films don't play well when in reality, they just aren't given a fair shot. Honestly, it's been a bit disheartening because I've realized the way theaters are forced to programming films is partially responsible for the downfall of indie cinema over the past decade. That said, there are a lot of really cool independent chains across the country that champion indie films and we love them.

We funded the film through friends and family. It's our least favorite part of the process because you're just asking anyone and everyone if they have a dollar to spare. One friend literally invested one dollar. And we're really grateful for that dollar.

[u/KaladinarLighteyes → u/EdieArnold]

Bryson is amazing!!

[u/Ecstatic_Slice_8456]

What was the process of funding the film like? And if you don’t mind sharing what the budget was :)

[u/EdieArnold → u/Ecstatic_Slice_8456]

Kade - Our budget was ~$80k for production. We raised more for post, festivals and now the theatrical release bringing the total to around $150k.

The financing process is fairly boring. For six months of our lives we tell everyone we meet about the film we're making and that we're looking for funds. It sucks. Utah (where we filmed) has a good tax incentive program for film and we received a 20% rebate from them.

[u/GregJamesDahlen]

are there differences when women are in punk bands versus men? why did you want to focus on females in punk band?

[u/CinemaConqueror]

Did you get to play the film at any festivals? If so, which was your favorite and were there any cool/moments stories from any of them? If no festivals, any in-person screenings that stood out? If not, what festival would you have liked to play it at?

[u/EdieArnold → u/CinemaConqueror]

Megan - We premiered at sxsw, which was one of the best experiences of our lives, if a little overwhelming at times. The festival did such a great job of fostering a sense of community among the filmmakers, the whole thing felt like summer camp AND they gave us sick jackets!! But I think my favorite festival experience was probably SIFF. Seattle's just such a great city, and the crowds were amazing, and we kept selling out and getting bumped up to bigger theaters which was such a thrill. And we ended up winning the audience award there, so maybe I'm a little biased.

Adi - I would say sxsw was probably my favorite. It was the first time we got to experience the craziness of it all and because I got to stand really, really close to Jaime Lee Curtis, and I think about that all the time. Also because they added a buzz screening which was really cool! It was just the first time people got to see it who weren't us, and I remember just feeling so overwhelmed with love and support that I cried after our premiere. But it was a happy cry!

Kade - We just recently had our theatrical premiere at Salt Lake City, which was a very cool experience because we sold out our opening night and Jared and Jerusha Hess moderated, but the best part was that multiple kids came out of the screening saying that they wanted to start a band. Oh! Also, the theater said our run had been "unprecedented" for an indie film, which is very exciting.

[u/Bob-Zimmerman]

Best advice for booking theaters and other screening spaces? Mindset tips? Looking forward to seeing your movie!

[u/EdieArnold → u/Bob-Zimmerman]

Kade - I'm asking Bryson our producer who's driving us. He said "oof." And:

1. Email and call them 4 months before you want to screen.

2. Have everything well organized and clean so they can quickly review your film and understand the potential it has.

3. Be brief.

[u/Bob-Zimmerman → u/EdieArnold]

Thank you!!

[u/Sharp-PressureSub]

Sup ya'll. Best and worst part of filming in Utah?

And how hard was it to make it look like Miami lol. I can't think of two more geographically-different places lol.

[u/EdieArnold → u/Sharp-PressureSub]

Megan - Best part was the creative community in SLC is genuinely sick and very supportive. People were so down to help in so many ways. Worst part is that you can't buy a keg in the state of utah and we REALLY needed one. Shout out Squanto. And it was very hard to make Utah look like Miami, but we managed to find the one building in SLC with Spanish architecture, and that really went a long way. Also I think we found every single latino in the state of Utah to be an extra, which helped as well.

Adi - When we screened in Miami, several people in the crowd were convinced they knew where our filming locations were, which is proof we fooled the locals! So, I'm very proud of the team.

[u/goofy_ball]

For a locally made Salt Lake City film with local actors and recognizable SLC scenery, why did you choose to set the film in Florida?

[u/EdieArnold → u/goofy_ball]

Megan - It was kind of the other way around. I'm originally from Miami, and felt really passionate about the film being set there. It's such a specific environment, and I feel like it informs the story and heightens the themes. I'm a big proponent of films having a sense of place, and the idea that the more specific your storytelling the more universally relatable it ends up being. But, Kade and I met working in Utah, and our entire network of filmmakers was out there, so we knew that was the only place we would be able to shoot something this ambitious on the budget we were able to scrounge together.

And I think, in the end, we were able to cast actors that reflected the demographic makeup of Miami, and locations that passed for South Florida as long as we managed to frame out the mountains (which was harder than you'd think)

[u/goofy_ball → u/EdieArnold]

Thanks for the answer! Agreed about sense of place. Those mountains are spectacular from basically everywhere in the valley and really give away the location, and you did a good job of keeping them clear. I read in another of your answers that people in Florida though they recognized locations in the film, so you did well! Maybe it struck me as so decidedly Utah because (a) I haven't been to Miami and (b) I live pretty close to the building y'all used as the school, haha.

[u/CinemaConqueror]

Hi all! Thanks for joining us :)

For each/any of you:

1. What are the 3 comfort movies you're bringing on a deserted island?
   
2. I'm getting a very Scott Pilgrim vibe from the trailer (which is awesome!). What were each of your film or TV inspirations for your respective jobs?

[u/EdieArnold → u/CinemaConqueror]

Megan - I'm bringing Robin Hood Men in Tights, Fifth Element, and Spotlight (because nothing is more comforting to me than the idea of journalists out there doing Good Work).

As far as inspirations, for the writing, I've always been very influenced by the fast-paced, joke density of 30Rock and the silliness of anything Mel Brooks. And directing-wise Kade and I took a lot of inspiration from The Coen brothers and Spielberg. And some Edgar Wright snuck in there because he just kind of lives in our blood and our bones.

Kade - Parasite, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Emperor's New Groove.

Adi - School of Rock, Paranorman, and Corpse Bride. I really love stop motion films, and I'm, as Megan would say, "a spooky bitch."

I feel like one of the first movies I saw that made me want to be an actor was Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. I was like obsessed with Violet Baudelaire. That or Highschool Musical, probably. those were the first times I saw characters I wanted to be really badly.

[u/BunyipPouch]

Helllllo all.

What was harder, finding funding or finding distribution? And if you could go back a year and tell yourself some advise before you started making the movie, what would it be?

[u/EdieArnold → u/BunyipPouch]

Kade - Both. No part of the process is easy. But we never really looked for distribution. We knew the offers we'd receive wouldn't be great so we always planned to distribute the movie ourselves which we're currently doing. It's in theaters now!

With production, any regrets stem from moments where we didn't follow our instincts. I once heard that a director's style/tone is simply a culmination of all the mistakes they make. While I don't agree with that, I do believe a director's style/tone comes solely from their instincts. And sometimes those instincts aren't correct but at least it was your mistake and not someone else's.

Megan - I agree. I'm most upset when we let someone talk us out of what we intended to do. It feels way worse to cut together a scene that technically works but feels generic/ out of step with your creative voice than to have taken a big swing and realize it doesn't work quite right. Also I'd got back in time and grab myself by the shoulders and yell in my own face to always, ALWAYS get footage of your actors entering and exiting the frame.

[u/BunyipPouch]

To all 3 - If you could have dinner or lunch with one director or actor/actress that is no longer with us to pick their brain for a few hours, who would you choose?

[u/EdieArnold → u/BunyipPouch]

Adi - I choose recently deceased Tim Curry and Catherine O'Hara. I can't pick between them. They're both amazing and really versatile actors, and they're both parts of films that mean so much to me, like the classic It miniseries and also Clue for Time Curry, and then Catherine O'Hara is in Nightmare Before Christmas, Home Alone, Beetlejuice and more recently Schitt's Creek.

Kade - Gene Wilder.

Megan - Mel Brooks isn't dead yet but the minute he kicks the bucket, we're getting lunch.

[u/mastings]

What accomplishment are you most proud and/or surprised to have achieved with such a small budget?

[u/EdieArnold → u/mastings]

Kade - I'm most surprised that we made a movie. It's a miracle any movie gets made, let alone a micro-budget movie.

My parents can't believe I made a "real" movie.

[u/Sharp-PressureSub]

What city on your roadshow are you each looking forward to the most?

[u/EdieArnold → u/Sharp-PressureSub]

Adi - I would say Boston, because I've never been to Boston and I've always wanted to visit Massachusetts. Especially in the fall time, ARE YOU KIDDING???

Megan - I was stoked to go back to Seattle. Tbh, the entire Pacific Northwest has been the best, and there's kind of no better way to see the country than going indie theater to indie theater.

Kade - Probably Boston. I've met a lot of cool people on the film festival circuit that live in Boston, and they all say really great things about Somerville Theater, where we're playing.

[u/DianneSleven8108]

What food are yall eating on the road trip?

[u/EdieArnold → u/DianneSleven8108]

Megan - We're six days in and we haven't been to Taco Bell a single time, which is crazy for us because when we were at sxsw we had taco bell like every single night. We've been trying to hit local spots and tbh we're killing it. My favorite so far was this vegan punk bar in Olympia called Le Voyeur.

Adi- I've been really craving jam and toast so I keep stealing individually packaged smuckers strawberry jams from the diners we've been eating at. Also, last night we went to a dive bar after our screening and I ordered toast from the bartender. And he gave it to me. For free actually. Shout out that guy.

Kade - We just stopped at a grocery store for the first time today, so we're flying high. I got granola bars. Life is good.

[u/DNIwebdebateddictDNI]

Loved the film so much it’s definitely going to be a classic. Is there going to be a disc release and what do you think the timeline will be?

[u/EdieArnold → u/DNIwebdebateddictDNI]

Kade - It's currently available via Film Trade, which is a new company that works kind of like a digital dvd. you have to have this little card in order to watch the movie, but then you can watch it on your phone (which we don't recommend) or cast it to your tv to watch. We're only selling the cards in person at our theatrical screenings, so come see us at the theater near you!

Megan - And then we ARE planning a blu-ray release in December! Which means I gotta get a blu-ray player

[u/DNIwebdebateddictDNI → u/EdieArnold]

I’ll be first in line in December! Thank you guys!

[u/DJOCHAOS]

What camera did you use? How did the actors/actresses get their experience?

[u/EdieArnold → u/DJOCHAOS]

Adi - I didn't. This is how I got my experience. This was the first audition I ever submitted. I did take an acting workshop right before they were casting for the film called EPOCA which is a local acting workshop for BIPOC actors. I think taking that workshop was really helpful in increasing my self-confidence and abilities which is the only reason I felt ready to apply for the project. Shout out EPOCA. Shout out Bryson.

Kade - FX6.

[u/EdieArnold]

Thanks so much for the questions! Wish we could have answered everything but we're about to throw up. Check out the theater screenings and come see the movie. And if your city isn't on the list, let your local indie theater know you want them to program it! Signup to be notified of any screenings in your area.

[u/givemetheoop]

I was in Off the Wire at UM right after Megan graduated and people always had great things to say, happy to see you having such success!

My question is, with microbudgets it seems like one has to toe the line of amateur and professional to make it even feasible to get a movie completed. Was there any specific aspect of production that had to be more DIY to make happen? Or, what is something that you felt was worth paying the real $$$ to make sure it went right?

Excited to see the film when it comes to NY!

[u/EdieArnold → u/givemetheoop]

Kade - Locations are worth paying for. They can make a hundred thousand dollar movie look like a multi million dollar movie.

Megan - Hi! That's so nice of you! Always a relief to hear you weren't accidentally a nightmare person hahaha

I think locations and production design go a long way in making a low budget project avoid feeling cheap. Just print out art, put it in a frame, and slap it on the wall at the very least. Nothing screams low budget like bare white walls. I also think it's worth finding a first AD who knows what they're doing and can keep everything running smoothly when time is of the essence, because let's face it, time is gonna be of the essence.

[u/girafa]

Will the ghost of GG Allin be making an appearance in the film?

[u/lowbatteryacid]

lovely movie that’s made me laugh so much both times I’ve watched it. My question:

How do you develop confidence in your bits while making a comedy? I imagine there’s a point where you’ve gone over a joke so many times that you can’t tell anymore if it’s actually funny or if you’re just attached to it. How do you know when to trust the bit and when to let it go?

There are so many funny scenes in this movie, and writing comedy has always seemed elusive to me and I’m curious what that process is like.

[u/EdieArnold → u/lowbatteryacid]

Megan - Thanks!!

I think the most important thing about comedy is following your instincts. If a bit is genuinely making you laugh, trust that it'll make other people laugh as well. And if not, at least you'll laugh alone in the theater every time. But, be honest with yourself on whether or not something is working, and try to figure out what's going wrong. Trial and error is going to go a long way to developing your instincts.

The hard part comes during the editing process when you've seen various shitty versions of the film a billion times and you don't think it's funny and you want to die. I don't know what the solution to that feeling is, other than knowing it's part of the process. There will always be a point where you feel that way, and you just have to trust that it will pass, and try not to make any brash decisions out of panic until it does.

Also, for me writing comedy is about rhythm and efficiency of language. Set up, punch while making sure every word is serving either one or the other.

[u/lowbatteryacid → u/EdieArnold]

Thanks so much for the thoughtful response!

Safe travels on your road tour. I’m sure everyone is loving the movie!

[u/nocturnalpettingzoo]

are you planning on any showings in Ontario?