The Beginning

Over the past few years, literary works by Tao Lin have gained increasing popularity, drawing thousands of fans    to the unique worlds created in Richard Yates, Eeeee Eee Eeee, and Shoplifting from American Apparel.  When Lins novella was released on Melville House, director Pirooz Kalayeh entered negotiations with the author and publisher to bring the project to the silver screen. Initially planning on a lavish budget with producer Mark Parsia (Co-producer, THE HUMAN WAR), the economic downturn catalyzed a new approach to the film that would utilize both documentary and narrative techniques to highlight writers within the virtual world (Noah Cicero, Brad Warner, Bebe Zeva, Jordan Castro, and Tao Lin) and incorporate new media and animation techniques   to reflect the novellas nuances alongside the current economic challenges of creating independent cinema. 

The Film

The hip are bored and they want you to know it. Shot on a shoestring budget, Shoplifting from American Apparel veers from a straight narrative retelling of Tao Lin's novella and heads toward part mocumentary. Director Pirooz Kalayeh's second film is on the trials and tribulations about making an indie movie about a hipster book in an inventive new comedy.

              (Director, Pirooz Kalayeh, speaks at Melville House in NYC)

The Plan

Your investment will allow us to gather finishing funds for color correction and a dolby digital sound mix. Support would also allow us to enrich the film with animation effects, an original musical score, and the production and shipment of unique Backer rewards. To incentivize donations, we are uniting with Long Beach Graphix, 3EyedBear, Jeffrey Brown, and other artists to produce a wide variety of exciting products -- all of them exclusive to this ten-week campaign period.

Throughout the post-production process and festival submission process, well maintain a project blog about the films progress and post plenty of photos and bonus videos. The film is set to be released in 2012 (provided the world doesnt end) and will ship out in a sleek, glossy DVD sleeve.

FAQ's:

Is the pledge amount publicly displayed?

No, only you and the project owner can see the details.

(Our Magic Cam, also known as the Cassavetes Cam, gets personal with Ivan Cano)

What's the biggest seller?

The biggest seller is the $25 package supporter DVD with bonus features, a digital download of the soundtrack, and your name in a special "thank you" section of the credits.

We personally love the "Talking Tree (Voice Not Included) paper toy made by 3EyedBear (see picture below).

(3EyedBear's "Talking Tree" paper toy - one of the many gifts for backing the project)

When do I get my DVD and other incentives?

DVDs and all other items will be shipped out at the film's release in 2012. Items that are digitally based (extended trailer, paper tree toy, etc.) will be sent to backers as links via e-mail.

(James Roehl and Brad Warner contemplate the scene)

Who are some of the actors in the film?

Brad Warner is a Zen guy who publishes books. He plays the part of the "movie" Tao Lin (Sam).

Jordan Castro is a writer. He plays the part of the "real" Tao Lin (Sam).

Noah Cicero is a writer. Sangha Films made a movie of his novella THE HUMAN WAR. He plays the "actual"  Noah Cicero (Luis).

James Roehl plays the "movie" Noah Cicero (Luis).

Is this film like the movie Adaptation?

No. We have actors and the real people who are associated with what happened in the novella. So, as much as it will be a "film" or a "faux documentary," there will also be actual things that are happening in the film that are absolutely real and documentary. Think "American Splendor" meets "Jackass" and that would be closer to the film's end product.

Why did you choose to meld faux documentary, documentary, and narrative elements?

We wanted to blend all the elements until it was difficult to tell what was fiction and reality.

(Andrew Crighton, Noah Cicero, Mark Parsia, TJ Hellmuth, and Pirooz Kalayeh on a break from shooting)

Who are the animators for SFAA?

Jeffrey Brown drew the trees and the movie poster, and some other things that will only be seen in the full length feature.

Pirooz Kalayeh did the hand drawn elements.

Brian Lee is the chief animator and does all the gmail chat sequences shown in the featurette, and will be doing almost 90% of all the animation in the full length feature.

Do you think you'll raise so much money in 60 days?

Maybe.

(Cast & Crew peek around the corner of American Apparel)

Do you think this movie will be successful?

Maybe.

Do you like trees?

Yes.

Donate if you like trees.

*SHIPPING DOMESTIC+INTERNATIONAL IS INCLUDED FOR REWARDS*

*ORIGINAL SCORE FOR THE FEATURE WILL BE COMPOSED BY SONNY MISHRA.

Press

• WKBN Interview
  
• Nth Word Interview by Ryan OConner
• Vindicator Article
  
• Indiewire Feature

To view the featurette or learn more about the film, please visit Sanghafilms.com.

About ILIKENIRVANA and Sangha Films

ILIKENIRVANA was formed in 2011 by filmmaker Pirooz Kalayeh to house the musical avant garde and films off the beaten path.

Sangha Films was formed in 2010 by filmmakers Pirooz Kalayeh and Thomas Henwood. Their breakout film launched last year with THE HUMAN WAR a feature length narrative set in 2003 that chronicles a day in the life of an Ohio teen that has to reassess his life after the declaration of the Iraq War coincides with his crumbling relationship and a violent attack. It debuted at The Appalachian Film Festival and continues to build momentum throughout the festival circuit. 

Since filming their first feature, Pirooz Kalayeh has gone on to document the life of Brad Warner - a controversial Zen master who has sought to strip away the sheen off many taboo topics in Zen Buddhism and exhibit a    healthy dose of reality to his readers. The documentary spans across America and covers Warners entrance into Japan, his work with the Suicide Girls, and includes talks from his book tour for Sex, Sin, and Zen, performances with Zero Defex, as well as archival footage from Warners life. Like SHOPLIFTING, the film will be released in a united effort from Sangha Films and ILIKENIRVANA.

The project is located in New York, NY; Solon, OH; Youngstown, OH; Long Beach, CA; and Hollywood, CA. Indie GoGo lets us choose one.