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Lovebug

Set in 1980s Los Angeles, a young man, Douglass, finds himself entangled in a relationship with Gracie, an eccentric hustler down on her luck. After their first time gettin’ jiggy, Gracie convinces the naive Douglass to become an adult film star under her management.

Driven by a deep-seated desire to belong, Douglass ventures down an increasingly dangerous path as Gracie’s charm and go-getter attitude launches “Douggy-Style” and his personalized self-tapes into stardom.

As their relationship deteriorates and it’s unclear if “Douggy-Style” is a star or just a pawn in Gracie’s game, Douglass will discover the extreme lengths he needs to go to claim his own autonomy.

  • Blake Kaiser
    Director
  • Blake Kaiser
    Writer
  • Dylan Marzke
    Producer
  • Jules Brown
    Producer
  • Sky Stockton
    Producer
  • Lukas Neau
    Producer
  • Ryan Sadigh
    Producer
  • Lauren Chappell
    Producer
  • Logan Pepper
    Key Cast
    "Douglass"
    NCIS, American Housewife
  • Lena Torluemke
    Key Cast
    "Gracie"
    Law and Order SVU, Chicago Fire
  • Lucas Brahme
    Key Cast
    "Bill"
  • Jamie Han
    Key Cast
    "Amanda"
  • Dave Cobert
    Key Cast
    "Brick"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama, Comedy, Romance
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 11, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    350,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Blake Kaiser

Blake Kaiser, originally from Leesburg, Virginia, has been passionate about filmmaking since his very first kiss. Quite literally! Blake started as a child actor, working on commercials and a few TV shows. He grew up skipping school to commute hours just for auditions in New York City. In one of his first auditions he was asked to kiss his female co-star, and despite the incredibly awkward encounter, Blake still fell in love with the world of filmmaking.

Transitioning from a child actor to behind-the-scenes roles, Blake has discovered his passion for writing, directing, and editing. Currently an editor for Compadre Creative Marketing, Blake has honed his craft working on NBC and Fox Animation spots.

In 2023, Blake finished writing his first feature, Lovebug. Using his knack for directing and editing, he made a crowdfunding video that launched his Indiegogo project to the front page. From there, Blake collaborated with brands like Wooden Camera and Nanlux to get access to equipment and reached out to other indie filmmakers to build a tight-knit crew. Almost a year later, Blake has completed editing Lovebug and is looking forward to sharing his project at festivals.

In the next few years, Blake plans to continue writing and directing his own features, having made connections within the film industry and learned the ins and outs of indie filmmaking.

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Director Statement

When writing Lovebug, I was always mindful of keeping the scale as low as possible, not just due to budget constraints, but in order to focus on the core of filmmaking; telling a story. Lovebug is centered around one relationship, with very few outside characters to make audiences feel they are with Douglass this relationship. They slip into Douglass’s shoes as he discovers the type of person he wants to become, and his own self-worth. Finding my own worth was a real struggle growing up, so I hope Douglass’s story can remind others that pulling oneself out of unhealthy relationships and realizing one's worth is a challenging journey.

While set in the 1980s, Lovebug's narrative remains relevant today because of what the main relationship represented then. In the 80s, engaging with adult content as the characters do was jarring due to its inaccessibility. It’s easy to see how Douglass's early exposure to a world he doesn’t understand is harmful. Today, teenagers and young adults have instant access to sex online, which can shape their perceptions from a young age. Lovebug represents how sex can be misunderstood when we are growing up. Mainstream pornography often distorts intimacy, selling a story that doesn’t represent real sex. We start to confuse the difference between offering ourselves to someone out of service versus offering out of actual love.

This is the time to tell this story, to reach the generation that has had the world in the literal palm of their hands since they can remember. Being from this generation myself, I know how the digital age has left young people without self-worth and with an unhealthy view of sex and relationships. Lovebug isn't just about a relationship between two young adults in the 80s; it's about young people today.