USA Projects

The Film

“Down and Out” is a high concept short film adapted by Mandi Riggi from the famous play written by John Patrick Shanley.

It is an allegory and a visual poem, teaching us that in the darkest of times, it is only love that can protect us.

“Down And Out” features a man named, Poet, and a woman named, Love. They are struggling to survive having nothing to eat but water and beans living in an all-too-topical world of cutbacks. A maniacal third character, the Shrouded Figure, hounds them at their doorstep. The Figure first takes away Poetʼs library card meaning that Shakespeare and Keats will no longer be part of his life. He then returns to offer money for Poet’s dejected soul. Worse still is that the pencil Poet is awaiting delivery on arrives broken, therefore he cannot write. Before he surrenders in Faustian manner, Love protects Poet by unlocking his creativity and freeing his soul. 

The story is sweetly lyrical, eerily timely and ultimately a joyous triumph.

Please be sure to check out the "Down And Out" Design Book showcase link.

The Play

The original one-act play was published in a collection titled "Welcome to the Moon." John Patrick Shanley is the Academy Award-winning author of Moonstruck. Awards won by Mr. Shanley include the Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Obie Award and Criticʼs Choice Award.

Our Mission

Mr. Shanley is involved in the casting of this piece, so we’re going out to A-list actors. 

Aside from the Academy awards, our dream is to screen this visual film at museums around the world.

We are really reaching for the stars here and can use all the help we can possibly get!

PROJECT GENESIS

Mandi picked up the collection of short plays by John Patrick Shanley entitled "Welcome to the Moon." She came running into the office 30 minutes later with tears streaming down her face. Mandi couldnʼt speak and was only able to point to the page, pleading with her watery eyes for Kevin to read. So he began to read the one-act play “Down & Out”. Kevin was immediately enthralled, the proverbial lightning struck, the clouds cleared, the sun shined brightly, and he found his soul shaken and his face wet. Kevin knew immediately that filming this project would be more than just a passion project, but a duty: to share this beacon of light for everyone who has ever dared to dream the impossible and who has fought through thick and thin to make a dream a reality.

Within one week, Mandi wrote her adaptation. On the inside of the 'Welcome to the Moon" paperback edition, there was contact information to John Patrick Shanleyʼs agent in order to obtain stage and/or filming rights. Kevin left several unreturned messages. It just so happened that Mandi received an invitation to attend a screening of the film Doubt, written and directed by Mr. Shanley, based on his award-winning Play. John would be in attendance for a Q&A session afterwards. Mandi and Kevin quickly put together a package to somehow hand-off to John (if the opportunity presented itself), including the adaptation, a “Dear John” letter, and a DVD showcasing Mandi's award-winning work.

They found themselves in a movie theatre filled to the gill with over 500 people. They had no idea how to get the package to John – would they raise their hands, hopefully be called upon by the moderator and ask a question in front of the entire audience that is totally unrelated to the film Doubt? Would Mr. Shanley even respond to a query about obtaining the rights to one of his one-act plays?

As luck would have it, there was a contest and 5 lucky winners would win a Doubt movie poster to be signed by Mr. Shanley after the Q&A session. Mandi and Kevin werenʼt one of the 5, but they made their move and pretended to be. As the winners crowded around John, Mandi shoved Kevin front and center. He worked his magic and poured his heart out about what the play meant to him and the deep nerve it touched. The play perfectly illustrates the struggle Mandi and Kevin deal with on a daily basis and how the integrity to protect their art through this treacherous ground called Hollywood has come out of their love for one another. Johnʼs Irish eyes twinkled, he grabbed the package, said heʼd review it right away and told Kevin to call his agent. As Kevin and Mandi walked away John squeezed Kevin's arm in acknowledgement to ensure this moment did in fact happen.

The next day, Kevin had a shockingly lovely conversation with John's agent, who only days prior wouldnʼt take Kevin's calls. He found out “Down and Out” is the one play nearest and dearest to Johnʼs heart. All the more reason to make it happen!

Nine months pass. Yes, nine months at the legal department of the agency ... but one sunny, beautiful day, the contract came back approved and signed by Mr. Shanley himself. Hurrah! Now itʼs time to raise the financing and get to work!

About the filmmakers

Writer/Director Mandi Riggi 

Mandi is in development on three feature films: "Before You Say Goodbye," a high school coming-of-age story starring Nicholas Braun (Red State, Prom Hit Somebody), which was invited into the 2010 FIND (Film Independent) Producers Lab, "Five Stories Underground", a haunting thriller inspired by the Oresteia, and "New York Dolls", a hard- hitting ensemble depicting the lives of six outsiders searching for love in all the wrong places. Most recently, Mandi wrapped production on her short film, Spade, starring Michael Petted and Jorge Garcia (Lost, Becker, upcoming J.J. Abrams' Alcatraz). She is currently in pre-production on her short film "Down And Out" adapted from the famous play of the same name written by John Patrick Shanley.

Mandi was born in Tehran to a political economist, activist, philosopher and writer. Mandi spent her childhood years in Europe until the age of fourteen when she moved to New York City. She became an active participant in the graffiti art scene, tagging subway cars in the Bronx train graveyard. Mandi joined a modern dance troupe, performed off-Broadway, and developed strong choreography skills. After receiving a degree in illustration from Pratt, Mandi embarked on a career in graphic design and art direction. She designed successful editorial and ad campaigns in collaboration with renowned photographers such as David LaChapelle. Since her true passion has always been theatre and film, Mandi went on to study at NYU, but quickly realized her ambitions could not wait. After a brief stint she headed to Los Angeles where she wrote and directed Parallel Passage starring Sara Rivas and Luca Calvani. The film was nominated Best Short at the Deauville Festival of American Cinema by a jury presided by Roman Polanski. It was honored with a Silver Remi Award for Best Original Dramatic Short at Worldfest Houston. Parallel Passage went on to travel the international film festival circuit screening at the Hamptons, São Paulo, Cinequest, San Diego, and Huesca Festivals, among others. It premiered on the Independent Film Channel (IFC) where Mandi was a featured director on the IFC Media Lab series. Mandi wrote, directed and staged her original one-act play "Chicken Soup" in Los Angeles starring Jennifer Hogan and Chip Sickler. She directed Douglas Dickerman and Daniele Watts in the one-act play, "Willoughby", written by Megan Lohne for the Little Bird Production of "Mixtape: Taking Flight" at the Elephant Theatre. Mandi directed "Night Train" written by Gena Acosta, starring Ellie Schwartz and Brendan Conner at the Atwater Village Playhouse. She was invited as a member into the highly competitive Playwright Directors Unit at the Actors Studio where she is further honing her skills.

Producer Kevin Fitzmaurice Comer

Kevin was a 2010 FIND Lab fellow with his feature film "Before You Say Goodbye", which was invited into the Film Independent Producers Lab. Most recently he produced the short film Spade starring Jorge Garcia (Lost, Alcatraz) and is currently in post on his first feature film, "GUS" as producer/line producer, starring Michelle Monaghan and Radha Mitchell.

Kevin graduated from the University of Cincinnati with honors in electrical engineering. As a project manager for NASA, Kevin designed, constructed and launched an experimental rocket. Upon moving to New York City, he embarked on his post-graduate studies in film at Brooklyn College. He founded Psychonaut Productions in 2002 in Los Angeles andproduced the award winning short film Parallel Passage. Kevin was invited to participate in the inaugural Marché du Film Producer's Network at the 2004 Cannes Film Fes- tival. A veteran of music video and commercial produc- tion, Kevin has worked with some of the biggest commercial production houses such as RSA, @radical.media, The Directors Bureau, Streetgang, Paranoid US, Cente Ser- vice, Day-O, Filmbug, Duroo, B2 Studios, Firefly, Humble, MTV, Washington Square Films, amongst others. He has produced and line produced high caliber commercials, promos, music videos, and virals for clients such as BMW, Lexus, Hyundai, Honda, GM/Daewoo, Soft Bank, Shiseido, L'Oreal, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Disney, Samsung, Zoosk and Google; music videos for U2, Green Day, Red Jump Suit Apparatus, as well as F/X promos for The Riches, The Shield, Nip/Tuck and Sons of Anarchy. Kevin is also the Head of Production at Evolution LA and oversees viral campaigns produced for studio films, including Bruno, I Love You Beth Cooper, Marley & Me, etc. In 2009 he line produced Sparks, a short film directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and written by Elmore Leonard, which premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival. Kevin produced Tesla Popped My Cherry, a comedic short film by the McAllen brothers currently in post.