Feature Film about Homeless Man, To Donate Half of Film’s Profits to Homeless.



If firstly you don't succeed, do everything by yourself and give half to charity.



Michael Stein is a struggling actor and filmmaker since he was 15 years old, but that is where his common story ends. Forgoing the actor’s route to work as a waiter, he find the entrepreneurial route and become a self made millionaire after six months in business. After that he did what any self proclaimed desperate actor/filmmaker would do and play the lead roles in films he wrote, directed and produced. His independent films will always be under half a million dollars, ultra low quality by today’s standards but they're not without merit and name talent. His last film, “Love Hollywood Style” starred Faye Dunaway, Andy Dick, Coolio and Stephen Tobolowsky and it has become a cult comedy classic. Michael says he's still a struggling filmmaker and actor with pride, the only real difference is he struggles in fashion more than he use to. In order for him to get at that point the road was long and hard.



Stein’s, first role came when he was cast by uncle Paul Thomas Anderson to play the lead role of Dirk Diggler in the original short film “The Dirk Diggler Story”, that later became the feature film “Boogie Nights” which Michael Appears in too. The acting roles never came easy to him. After several years of the struggling actors lifestyle, Michael chose to learn how to be a filmmaker and became a production assistant.



Getting funding has always been a struggle. The past several years in Hollywood have experienced a major change. As Stein puts it, "They aren't handing out movie deals like hotcakes how they use to in the 90s."

Stein admits that he would gladly quit the reins of financing and producing if he had outside finding. Since he made his last film, the economy has slipt into a recession and he presently has a family to support. “When I had been single I never thought twice about taking a risk on budgeting my very own films, now I have a wife and two daughters, that changes your mind-set”

It’s been four years since Stein made his last film. The issue was self funding a film in a bad economy combined with the obligations of supporting his family. He knew about crowd funding websites like kickstarter.com but didn't feel that any of his scripts would go well with a crowd funding concept. He then came up with an idea that he felt could be with the right vehicle. A film that would be funded 100% by the public about someone who is homeless and also the earnings of the film benefiting homeless causes. The story and the concept came easily, he said. “I felt possessed. I wrote the rough draft to screenplay within a month.”

The film is called “The Guitar Player”. The story is about a homeless street performer who gets a second chance in life but struggles with his painful past. At seventeen, Robert Shiller (a.k.a “Robert Shiller The Killer”) was a champion high school wrestler in a tiny town in Northern California. One week before the state championship, Robert accidentally killed his closest friend and team mate, during practice. Losing his friend and the social stigma in a small town was more than he could bear, so he ran abroad, grabbing only what he could fit in his wresting bag and the best friend’s guitar despite the fact that he did not know how you can play. Our story begins twenty years later with Robert living about the streets.

The film is anticpated to be shot in January 2012 contingent upon the funds could be raised publically. The film’s kickstarter campaign also offers a high concept. One from the packages, a 35 hundred dollar pledge allows businesses to advertise their products at each from the premieres, which will be in several major cities, including L.A. and Ny. Another package, a 10000 dollar pledge includes “An Event for a Day” where one thousand tarps is going to be donated to a local homeless shelter along with a screening in a movie theater in the city of your choice, all being promoted honoring the pledge contributor. There are many other elaborate incentives built around the premieres and promotion from the film. Tricks of the trade Stein learned working with Peter Guber and John Peters on movie promotions when he would be a twenty years old nightclub promoter.

The minimal funding goal for the film was set at one hundred and fifty thousand. A typical low amount is always set for projects on kickstarter because of their “all of nothing” policy. Stein and the Line Producer Aimee Flaherty aspire to break the kickstarter’s funding record for a film, which is approximately 500,000.

The fundraising campaign has been held for fifty days and expires on October 21st. If you are looking at learning more about the film, you can visit the website at: www.theguitarplayermovie.com