No story, no plot, no nothing. So how was this idea born and funded? Here's my educated (but speculative) guess:
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Sean Baker is at a meeting with investors, sitting at the head of a long conference table, various investors sitting on each side.
Baker: "I have this incredible idea for a movie. It's like, no one has ever done this before!"
Investor #1: "Cool."
Baker: "So I'm going to cast a bunch of cute little kids, and it'll be a story of a transient motel where they live, and what happens each day."
Investors nod their head in agreement.
Investor #2: "And so what happens?"
Baker: "Nothing. It'll be a slice of life about these kids, and one of their moms. And here's the kicker: All improv, no script!"
Investor #1: "No script...!?"
Baker: "No script! You see, it's innovative, we'll follow the kids around while they play and get into trouble."
Investor #3: "But how is this going to be interesting?"
Baker: "We'll get a movie star with gravitas to play the motel manager -- it'll be the bomb! Plus, no one has ever done this before, it'll be so original the CRITICS WILL LOVE IT. See, the critics LOVE anything they haven't seen before. That's how they tick!"
Investor #1: "Hmmm..."
Baker: "Also, nobody does improv movies, this also makes it original, and magic happens when anything can happen!"
Investor #4: "Aren't most movies that are made without a script, failures? I think Mike Leigh has only had one major success with an improvised movie."
Baker: "Well, I might quibble with that evaluation... however, I'm a talented director and I can make this work. I know how to make this work where others don't!"
Investor #1: (Unconvinced) Well, who are you thinking for the movie star?
Baker: "Daniel Day-Lewis."
Investors react vocally with ooohs and aaahs.
Investor #2: "I understand he doesn't work a lot and is extremely picky about the material he chooses. What if you can't get him?"
Baker: "Well, someone like Willem Dafoe would be good too."
Investor #4: "Okay, well if you can get either of those two actors, I'm in."
Investor #3: "Me too. I'll take a chance."
Baker: "You won't regret it. It's gonna be HUGE. People love watching little kids. It's like cat videos on the internet, they can't get enough of 'em!!
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Sean Baker is at a meeting with investors, sitting at the head of a long conference table, various investors sitting on each side.
Baker: "I have this incredible idea for a movie. It's like, no one has ever done this before!"
Investor #1: "Cool."
Baker: "So I'm going to cast a bunch of cute little kids, and it'll be a story of a transient motel where they live, and what happens each day."
Investors nod their head in agreement.
Investor #2: "And so what happens?"
Baker: "Nothing. It'll be a slice of life about these kids, and one of their moms. And here's the kicker: All improv, no script!"
Investor #1: "No script...!?"
Baker: "No script! You see, it's innovative, we'll follow the kids around while they play and get into trouble."
Investor #3: "But how is this going to be interesting?"
Baker: "We'll get a movie star with gravitas to play the motel manager -- it'll be the bomb! Plus, no one has ever done this before, it'll be so original the CRITICS WILL LOVE IT. See, the critics LOVE anything they haven't seen before. That's how they tick!"
Investor #1: "Hmmm..."
Baker: "Also, nobody does improv movies, this also makes it original, and magic happens when anything can happen!"
Investor #4: "Aren't most movies that are made without a script, failures? I think Mike Leigh has only had one major success with an improvised movie."
Baker: "Well, I might quibble with that evaluation... however, I'm a talented director and I can make this work. I know how to make this work where others don't!"
Investor #1: (Unconvinced) Well, who are you thinking for the movie star?
Baker: "Daniel Day-Lewis."
Investors react vocally with ooohs and aaahs.
Investor #2: "I understand he doesn't work a lot and is extremely picky about the material he chooses. What if you can't get him?"
Baker: "Well, someone like Willem Dafoe would be good too."
Investor #4: "Okay, well if you can get either of those two actors, I'm in."
Investor #3: "Me too. I'll take a chance."
Baker: "You won't regret it. It's gonna be HUGE. People love watching little kids. It's like cat videos on the internet, they can't get enough of 'em!!