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The Fixer Upper

Annie enlists the help of her friend, Faith, to convert her Airstream into an Airbnb and her ranch into a wedding venue. With their first guests arriving soon, they must prepare for a wedding and convince Annie's 30-year-old son, Jimbo, who has been living in the trailer since his divorce, to move out and move on with his life.

  • Kathleen Quinlan
    Director
    Apollo 13, The Doors, The Hills Have Eyes
  • Bruce Abbott
    Director
    The Re-Animator
  • Patrick Quinlan
    Writer
  • Kathleen Quinlan
    Producer
  • Aaron T. Rudd
    Producer
  • Harrison Thomas
    Producer
  • Patrick Quinlan
    Producer
  • John Thomas
    Producer
  • Joe Tomcufcik
    Producer
  • Kathleen Quinlan
    Key Cast
    "Annie"
  • Cheray O'Neil
    Key Cast
    "Faith"
  • Patrick Quinlan
    Key Cast
    "Jimbo"
  • Virginia Ma
    Key Cast
    "Lexie"
  • Tyler Abbott
    Key Cast
    "Blaze "
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 24 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 4, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.89:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Kathleen Quinlan, Bruce Abbott

Kathleen Quinlan: Kathleen has been a working actress since first appearing in American Graffiti. She has worked regularly ever since in such films as I Never Promised You a Rose Garden and Apollo 13 and TV shows such as Family Law, Chicago Fire, and How to Get Away with Murder. “The Fixer Upper” is her second directing project after the dramatic short “Diamond Girls,” and first directing collaboration with her husband, Bruce Abbott.

Bruce Abbott: After completing San Francisco's Actors Conservatory Theater program, Bruce Abbott spent twenty years acting in film and television with roles in Re-Animator and Summer Heat and the TV series Dark Justice. Even though he retired from acting in 2010 to work as an architect and artist, Bruce was ecstatic to shake off the dust and collaborate with his talented wife, cast and crew of The Fixer Upper Short Film.

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Director Statement

It’s amazing how one decision and one day can leave such a huge impact on a person’s life. After several decades of working in film, television and stage, my husband and I decided it was time to explore our craft from a different perspective and embrace the indie film spirit that so often inspires us.

With my husband, Bruce Abbott, working with me as co-director, we wanted to share our talents, explore new skills and rejuvenate our spirits by tapping into the energy and perspectives of the next-gen talent in our family.

We filmed near our home in Ojai, California and upped the ante by filming it all in a single day.

I loved the idea of Jimbo and his family making a scene in front of the wildlife that surrounds them. If the deer and woodpeckers could share the stories about Bruce and I running around in our pajamas taking care of chores around the ranch, I’m sure we would look just as foolish. That was the spirit we tried to inject into our film. I’m sure we put on a good show for the animals on the day of filming too.

While we squeezed every ray of sunlight from that hectic day, we also laughed, shared stories with this wonderful young crew, and filled the day with as much love as possible. Now this short film doubles as a fun time capsule of a place we loved and were lucky to share with our loved ones.

Amazing how one decision turned into one incredible day.

Best,
Kathleen & Bruce