Episode 302: Livestream Underground: The Challenge of Paul Boyd and Kara Scobey Brown

We are all driven by the notion of fate. Some believe that fate is inevitable, while others believe that fate is what you make of it. And then there are those who believe that fate is given a push by luck. Some seem to have all the luck while others were born under the proverbial bad sign.

 

On this episode of FIVE DOLLAR BUZZ, the Buzzards chat it up with two people that made a movie about the pursuit of good luck and the extremes of which the central character will go to achieve it. 

 

I, CHALLENGER is a stoner comedy with flourishes of horror, thriller, sci-fi, absurdism and a lil bit of romance. It stars James Duval (THE DOOM GENERATION, DONNIE DARKO, SLC PUNK) as Sid, a man-child who plays video games all day and sells weed, and is about to be evicted. In desperation, he gets his newfound gaming buddy Logan (played by Coy Stewart) to help him bury himself with a livestream video for 24 hours. It's an idea he saw online that was seemingly successful for some Russians. Let's just say, nothing really goes as planned. Co-starring Tina Majorino (WATERWORLD, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE), ground-breaking rapper MC Lyte and legendary comic Margaret Cho, the film is a high-wire act, full of surprises and plenty of shenanigans.  

 

You can find the film on all VOD platforms including Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu, etc.

 

We are lucky to have Writer-Director Paul Boyd and Co-Writer Kara Scobey Brown with us on this episode. 

 

Paul is a heralded music video and commercial director who has worked with such artists as Shania Twain, INXS, Blind Melon, Sting, Tina Turner, Lionel Richie, Backstreet Boys, deadmau5, Bryan Adams, Jamiroquai, Lenny Kravitz, Seal, Digable Planets, just to name a few. He directed his first feature film, 2008's VICIOUS CIRCLE, a tragic punk Latino love story set in Venice, California. The film won Best Picture at 2008 HBO New York International Latino Film Festival, the Audience Award at the 2008 Orlando International Film Festival and Best Director at the 2009 Downtown Film Festival - Los Angeles.

 

Kara is a seasoned veteran in many facets of film and television production including writing and production managing for Lady Gaga for four years.  That includes many of her music videos and television specials, such as "A Very Gaga Thanksgiving" with Tony Bennett. With her production company Electric Soup she produced the series "The Greatest Event in Television History" for Adult Swim with Paul Rudd, Kathryn Hahn, Jon Hamm, Adam Scott, Amy Poehler. She also produced the docuseries "Sex on//" for HBO.

 

So roll up a fatty, light 'er up and take a stroll with Kara, Paul and the Buzzards as we talk about the making of I, CHALLENGER, their respective careers, the soon to be released film WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY made during the pandemic, a little bit of music and the films we all love. It's the filmmakers' journey in all of its glorified, hard fought uphill climb to completion on this episode of FIVE DOLLAR BUZZ.

 

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