Interested in joining a journey through a magical realm with heroes, trolls, goblins and fire enchantments? Scott Weidermeyer has a seat open.
Sam Eidson leads “Zero Charisma” as Scott, a Game Master who’s deeply dedicated to his role-playing board game. Trouble is, sometimes he takes that passion a little too far and his game time intensity can be too much to handle. When one of his players cracks under the pressure, it’s Scott’s responsibility to fill the seat and he bestows that honor upon a “neo-nerd hipster” named Miles (Garrett Graham). From the moment Miles sits down at Scott’s grandmother’s kitchen table, the other players are enamored by his wits and charm. In an effort to protect his reign over his self-created realm, Scott sets out to expose Miles and prove to his friends that Miles is really a total fraud.
Shortly after kicking off the film’s theatrical run, Eidson and directors Andrew Matthews and Katie Graham hit New York Comic Con to talk “Zero Charisma.” The trio ran through the inception of the idea, crowdfunding the project, managing their limited budget, and more. You can catch our full 20-minute conversation in the video below. It’s a lengthy chat, so here’s a breakdown of the interview in case you’d like to skip around:
00:00 – Coming up with the idea for “Zero Charisma.”
01:40 – Financing the film on Indiegogo.
03:12 – Advice for filmmakers regarding crowdfunding.
05:15 – The challenge of making a film for role-playing enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
07:16 – Eidson on preparing for the role.
08:20 – Eidson on embodying a particularly unpleasant lead character.
09:30 – How Eidson made the transition from starring in the Indiegogo video to starring in the feature.
10:20 – Putting their minimal budget to the best use possible.
13:58 – A particularly vital prop the filmmakers got for free.
14:48 – Shooting on the Red Epic.
15:40 – Their lighting choices – making Scott’s world feel like a warm, safe refuge.
16:26 – Feeding their 24-person company.
18:05 – A deleted scene that involves Scott’s imaginary friend.
19:05 – Their thoughts on New York Comic Con.
“Zero Charisma” is currently available on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video, and is playing theatrically in select cities.