The Triumph of Ken'ichi

Logline

Inspired by a true story and infused with magical realism.

When a supernaturally gifted 60 year old performer (Ken'ichi) is fired and humiliated by his acting manager he quits his hollywood career to work at an old school Japanese restaurant. Through wisdom and tough love from his elderly boss (Nene), Ken'ichi rediscovers his internal magic, leading to the surrealist performance of a life time on an unexpected stage: the hibachi grill.

Synopsis

60 year old Hollywood veteran, Ken’ichi (AKA Kenny), is more than just an actor. He’s the ultimate performer. Thespian, rapper, comedian and supernatural magician all rolled into one. But he's in a slump. Attempts to rejuvenate his career on social media backfire leading his manager Leo to fire him in humiliating fashion. Down and out, Ken’ichi leaves the hollywood dream behind.

His wife Yumi is battling illness and money is needed for experimental medical treatment so Ken pleads for a job as a staffer at an old school Japanese Hibachi restaurant owned and run by Yumi’s hard-nosed elderly aunt Nene.

Though he initially sees the restaurant as a dead end, it soon becomes the perfect spot for Kenny to rediscover his internal magic and love of performing without the pressures of the spotlight. It feels good to be a success again. Still he remains literally haunted by visions and voices from his past hollywood glory pushing him back to the stage.

The restaurant soon grows in popularity thanks to Nene's amazing food and Kenny's unique showmanship with the customers. 

Finally Kenny's renewed passion and self confidence are tested when he is forced to perform once again in front of an old nemesis on a new stage: The Hibachi Grill. This final confrontation will test all of his new and old skills in a reality bending fight for redemption.

Comedy, drama, romance, inspiration, magic tricks and surrealism. This story has something for everyone.

Funding

This film will be produced and budgeted with the same approach as a prestigious Independent feature.. We're casting SAG union actors. We'll have full permits, insurance, safety coordinators and any key positions required to shoot at this highest level. An estimated 80-90% of people involved in this project will be paid a proper wage for their time. A few very generous volunteers might gift their time but we will not be approaching principal cast or crew members looking for a freebie.

The initial funds raised will go to securing the cast and key crew members. In particular the cinematographer and their full team will need to be hired and paid for including rental costs for cinema standard film equipment. Other funds will go to hiring hair & make up, wardrobe, production design, wardrobe, An assistant director, producers, safety coordinator, audio, script supervisor, and of course the heroic production assistants that are the life blood of any set. 

The next tier of spending will go into locations and permits. The good news is most of the film takes place within four interior locations. The less great news is that these locations will not be cheap. However they will be more than worth the investment.

Additionally, the post production team will be comprised of A-level hollywood craftsmen. We already have commitment from Eric Hughes, a top TV & Film editor who has cut Emmy nominated shows, award winning films and ads, and A-list music videos. He's working at a heavily discounted rate that will save 5 figures worth of expenses. However, the film will need to be color corrected, sound mixed and mastered for theatrical release which are all very expensive processes. We will also utilize visual effects to really sell over the magic within the story.

Most of the remaining money in our stretch goal not used on post production will go into marketing and screening the film at festivals and high end screening venues. The vision is to bring this story Sundance, Cannes and other top tier festivals and garner the attention of major hollywood players in order to generate larger opportunities for all involved.

And your contributions will go into all of that.

Additional Information

Our goal is to make a 5 star project showcasing diverse performers and craftspeople whose talents may be unrecognized by some in the mainstream. In addition to bringing this unique story to life the vision is to leverage the success of this story into an entire anthology series of visual stories from creators of various cultures and identities passionately showcasing the themes of food culture and magical realism in their own special ways.

The Nitty-Gritty

We all know film making is difficult. The good news is we already have the technology, skills and passion at our fingertips. However, despite some real progress, a story about a 60 year old Japanese actor is not the easiest thing to get produced by traditional studios. They won't believe it until they see it done and we can't wait around for someone else to prove it to them. But in order to do it right we're going to need the magic of the most talented and diverse cast and crew we can find. 

Thank You

Thank you thank you thank you so much for checking out this project. This story demands to be told. The goal is to make something to goes beyond laughs and stunts and speaks about the magic of life itself. And we tell it from the perspective of someone you rarely see on the big screen.

Even if you can't contribute financially, your attention alone is so valuable. Please consider sharing this campaign with friends and family directly or on your broader social platforms. A supportive community will empower this story through it's long and ambitious creative journey.