Private Project

The Great American Broadcast

THE NEWS MAY BE FAKE, BUT THE STORIES ARE TRUE.

Tommy, a recent college graduate with big dreams, picks up a dead-end job at a local news station to make ends meet. He has a chronically sick father to take care of, and Tommy fears he'll be stuck in his tiny hometown forever. At his new job, he meets a group of other young people who are just as stuck as he is. But everything changes when Tommy unwittingly befriends an infamous serial killer who sets him down a radical path that could make all his dreams come true.

This dark comedy examines the current state of the US through a satirical lens. Is the American Dream even possible anymore? And if so, to what lengths would you go to make it come true?

  • Matthew Stacey
    Director
  • Matthew Stacey
    Writer
  • Matthew Stacey
    Producer
  • Derrick Hammer
    Producer
  • Justin Woolsey
    Producer
  • Joshua Thompson
    Key Cast
    "Tommy"
  • Solomon Henderson
    Key Cast
    "Darious"
  • Tyler Fall
    Key Cast
    "Dad"
  • AJ Endres
    Key Cast
    "Frank"
  • Alex Eisman
    Key Cast
    "Maxwell"
  • Brittney Herrera
    Key Cast
    "Lola"
  • Allison Stacey
    Key Cast
    "Ziz"
  • Benjamin Woolsey
    Key Cast
    "Brandon"
  • Ron Howard
    Key Cast
    "Abernathy"
    Little Foot
  • Dominic Syracuse
    Key Cast
    "Mini Boss"
    In This Gray Place, The Outer Rim, The Hometown Special, Northwood Pie, Saint Bernard
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Dark Comedy, Satire, Drama
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 28 minutes 19 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 23, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    6,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Matthew Stacey

Filmmaker Matthew Stacey has spent most of his life living in small towns across Wyoming. He's had a passion for all aspects of video production from a very young age, and has been creating award-winning short films since 2016. Since obtaining his Film and English degrees, he continues to produce creative video and film work in his free time, and aspires to break into a bigger entertainment market soon. He's working to pursue his dreams of writing and directing major feature films.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I first began conceptualizing ‘The Great American Broadcast’ as a teenager, after my father was let go from work. He had done everything right: he was a model citizen and one of his company's most diligent employees, but his newly-diagnosed chronic illness was impacting his job performance. After more than 15 years of loyal service, he was kicked out, shamed, and quickly forgotten by all his coworkers. He now lives off of social security benefits and disability insurance that is regularly revoked due to governmental loopholes and bureaucratic pseudo-law. The saddest part of his story, or the funniest part depending how you look at it, is that it's not uncommon.

In this movie, Tommy is dealt a tough hand, he's caught in a cycle that can't be broken by working within its limits. His story is a microcosm of the American experience; he's trapped in a system that hurts his family, works a low-paying job he's overqualified for, and can't escape his dead-end town run by a ruthless serial killer who hates his kind (maybe some certain politicians come to mind). He starts losing hope; and with hopelessness comes a susceptibility for radicalization. My lead actor, Josh Thompson, was a natural fit for a character with so much going on. He navigated the complex, counterintuitive feelings of Tommy with a subtlety I could've never imagined possible to pull off.

Creating this film helped me explore some of the emotional baggage I carry from what happened with my father. It's also given me a better understanding of my generation's apathy. The American Dream was a bright vision of what could be, but the American Reality is more bleak than we like to acknowledge. And if you can't look at that and laugh a little, then what's even the point of it all?