Private Project

The Moonshine Boys

“The Moonshine Boys” is the story of two middle-aged comedians at the end of their career. It’s 1991. Patrick, Dan and his ventriloquist puppet named "Buzz” have spent the last decade performing nationwide as a standup-comedy act. But now we find this duo backstage at a rundown comedy club as their careers have taken a hard turn for the worse. The growing tension that’s been building between them for years finally erupts when Patrick quits moments before they’re supposed to walk on stage.

  • James Alario
    Director
    "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Various Field pieces
  • James Alario
    Writer
  • Ashleigh Nichols
    Producer
  • Aubrey Duclous
    Producer
  • Patrick Keane
    Key Cast
    "Patrick "
  • Dan Sachloff
    Key Cast
    "Dan "
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Drama
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes 59 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 30, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    11,500 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:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - James Alario

James Alario is an award winning filmmaker that has enjoyed a successful career as a TV director and former Director of Photography. After graduating Ithaca College with a degree in Film and Photography Production, he migrated west and lives with his wife and two kids.

Mr. Alario’s new short film, “The Moonshine Boys” is a comedic exploration of two middle age men struggling to find their purpose in life. As their career as standup-comic duo is fading they realize they’ve become irrelevant.

The cross-section of Mr. Alario’s filmmaking work is quite varied. He has directed feature documentaries such as “Kelly,” that tells the story of a runaway trans prostitute that’s trying to survive in Hollywood. Mr. Alario has also made from dramatic short films such as "Between the Lines" and "Sara" that were both personal explorations into the heart of the mind. And he’s also made comedic shorts like “Don’t call Susan,” a story of about a time-traveler that comes back repeatedly, to warn the present version himself about calling his ex-girlfriend. These selected few films have been featured in “Slamdance,” & “LA Comedy fest” and others.

Mr. Alario's professional career has been as diverse as it's been prolific. He has worked on feature films, TV documentaries, and on late night television. He credits the six years as a DP working on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” as a “TV boot-camp.” The fast pace world of late-night tv means working with a production team to get comedic me bits from script to final product to air, in the same day. This learning to work creatively while under immense time pressure has proven an invaluable skill in every project he touches.

Because Mr. Alario has had such a diverse career he has a vast depth of knowledge in the language of documentary and dramatic filmmaking. From story telling to choosing the right camera for the job, Mr. Alario can get the job done, and done very well.

Add Director Biography