GRAND SCHEME
Hollywood is the town of dreams, but Anna (Mary Fegreus) and Mark's (James Patrick Gallagher) dream slowly deteriorates into a nightmare as they face the reality of life as underlings in Hollywood as a struggling DIY musician/bartender and a freelance film editor.
The young couple's distrust and desperation come to a head when Anna's misogynist bosses refuse to pay her. Mark decides to take matters into his own hands. Dreams are abandoned, hearts and laws are broken in GRAND SCHEME, the "anti-La La Land".
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E. Dylan CostaDirector
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E. Dylan CostaWriter
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E. Dylan CostaProducerDesecrated
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David OrtkieseProducerNaked, 50 Shades of Black
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Robin HumbertProducerVanderpump Rules
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Mary FegreusKey Cast
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Drama, Suspense, Thriller
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Runtime:17 minutes 30 seconds
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Completion Date:July 13, 2016
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Production Budget:50,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Arri Alexa - Digital
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Aspect Ratio:2:39
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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LA Shorts FestLos Angeles
United States
September 7, 2016
L.A. Premiere -
Hollywood Screenings Film FestivalHollywood
United States
March 1, 2017
Semi-Finalist -
Hollywood Boulevard Film FestivalHollywood
United States
September 27, 2016
Dylan grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he earned a strong Southern work ethic and perhaps a little bit of charm. After relocating to Los Angeles, he started his professional career as an editor, working alongside some of the most awarded editors in the film and television industry. Dylan then partnered with John P. Boggs as a producer to form Evenflow Entertainment. While at Evenflow, Dylan developed and produced two feature films, three one-hour stand-up comedy specials, and multiple reality television shows.
Grand Scheme is Dylan's debut into narrative directing, which was always his goal, after previously directing a one hour comedy special for Showtime Networks, Tony Roberts: Motorcity Motormouth (aired Dec. 2nd, 2016). Along with Dylan’s editing, producing, and directing talent, he’s also a very experienced graphic designer, screenwriter, actor, and music producer.
Dylan's unique perspective, attention to detail, years of experience, and love that he pours into each project, makes his work particularly noteworthy. Dylan currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.
Early in my career I witnessed a female colleague put up with obnoxious demands, low pay, and borderline harassment from her male bosses. She would complain to me, because her boyfriend at home was extremely jealous and possessive. She didn’t know how to stand up for herself, and had nowhere to go and no one to talk to. This happens quite frequently in not just entertainment, but other industries as well. I wrote this film to tell her story, and worked with a female cinematographer to show it.
I chose to include the negative effects of social media that create obsession and distrust between couples, as this is an important issue with our society that has never been addressed on film. I've had many friends relationships torn apart by social media, a Pandora's box so to speak.
Throughout my years of personally living the Hollywood freelance lifestyle, I've learned every non-union gig is a battle to get paid, especially in a timely fashion. I was driven to show the true horrors of being an industry underling, and the serious consequence which can result.
Nearby, in local dive bars, bartenders skim and steal at their jobs in creative ways. This is the gateway to Mark's corruption, which he takes to quite naturally, guided by a figurative dark angel, leading to an unexpected plot twist.
These elements, combined with an epic score/soundtrack and musical performances by the cast, make Grand Scheme the perfect antithesis to the romanticized version of Hollywood a film like La La Land portrays. This is the first time the true nature of "breaking into" Hollywood has been portrayed realistically in narrative film.
Thanks and enjoy,
E. Dylan Costa