The Flying Bike
A comedy-drama in the style of a radio play, this five-part story follows the creation of a bargain-bin studio film from the perspectives of the writers, the producer, the script supervisor, the assistant editor, and an audience member. www.flyingbikemovie.com
The Flying Bike began as a screenplay I wrote, with some stories written by my friends Derek Philp, Erika Anderson, and Alyssa Herron.
It is a five-part story following the making of a really bad movie, perhaps like the kind one might find available on DVD for 5 dollars. After all, one must wonder how certain movies ever get made.
But the stories are not necessarily about the making of this bad movie, that is just the backdrop. The stories are about the people involved in making it, and how the characters' lives are changed as a result, and ultimately, what happens to these people once this crappy movie is released.
And it is all based on true stories.
I had always intended on directing the movie with some name talent. But I could not do that alone. I needed to work with another producer or production company which could attach cast, find appropriate financing avenues, and help me make the movie the best it could be.
Well, considering that there were no mobsters or serial killers in the movie, nor was it an adaptation of a novel, nor was it a re-make of a film or TV show from the 70's or 80's, or a comic book, cartoon, popular toy, video game, or breakfast cereal, nor was I Kevin Smith, Richard Linklater, or Hal Hartley, I had a very hard time with this. The people I wanted to work with would not take me seriously. And many people, some of them friends of mine, never read the script. This was all a huge bummer.
I then considered an idea. Perhaps the best way for people to read the script might be for them to not read it at all, but to listen to it.
I consulted with several trusted people about this concept. They all told me it was a waste of time. So of course I did it anyway.
Upon producing the radio-play version of the first episode of The Flying Bike, I wasvery lucky in findng some very talented people to help me out. And I discovered that I just loved working in this medium, which I had not before. I wanted to explore it more. I sent it to some audibook producers, podcast experts, and open-minded friends and colleagues. All of them encouraged me to start publishing this work in podcast form. After all, as many of them said, the internet has opened up an entirely new audience to artists of all kinds.
This is all still experimental. It may work, it may not. I don't even know how to define if it works or not, so maybe I'll never know. But all of that said, let's give it a go. We shall see I guess!
Many thanks,
Karl Hirsch
July 15, 2011
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