Budding screenwriters Bart D. Van Bemmel and Jason A. Wheeler may have done what no man has done before: gotten a Hollywood deal while teaching middle school in Carrollton. Their story, Butterscotch—a dark comedy about three people who meet in the waiting room of their suicide therapist and end up traveling together to plan their funerals—caught the eye of Academy Award nominee Jon Keeyes, who worked with Van Bemmel and Wheeler to create a short version of the film. The Butterscotch short has been selected by three film festivals so far, but the bigger news is that 90210 alum Jason Priestly, Corbin Bernsen, Lindy Booth, and Debra Jo Rupp have all signed on to do the feature-length version of the film. If all the financing comes through, the film is a go.
28 comments
Wow! We made it into D Magazine! Thank you sooo much!
Thank you D Magazine and all of Dallas for the great show of support.
This is awesome! I can’t wait to see how everything turns out. It couldn’t happen for two better people!
Congrats Jason!
Jon Keeyes is an Academy Award nominee???
Jon Keeyes is an Academy Award finalist in this year’s Oscar short film competition for his direction of Angela’s Body. The info somehow got twisted.
I’m SO proud of you both! And see how well I can keep a secret?!
Great work guys!!!
Congratulations!
Love to hear about the success of local Dallas area residents.
With this line-up of great actors, how can it not get it’s funding.
Best of luck to all!
Can’t wait to see it on The big screen!
This is great news! Congratulations Bart and Jason.
Gentlemen,
Well done… we are all very proud.
Now go out there and knock them off their feet.
Thank you everyone for your support!
Does anyone else see the irony of middle school teachers writing about suicide? Believe me, teaching today’s middle schoolers can be a slow form of suicide. Best wishes to Bart and Jason. It would be a tragedy is this led to a job where you can go to the bathroom when you need to, lunch lasts longer than 15 minutes, and you don’t have a string of people who don’t have students coming through your classroom telling you what you are doing wrong.
Congratualtions and how exciting!!!
Banned –
This is so true! Classic.
That is awesome! Can’t wait to see it on the big screen. Way to go Bart and Jason!
Wow! How awesome is this. I’m proud of you guys can’t wait to see it. Thanks for sharing Bart. Again congrats guys…so exciting!
this is wonderful news for all of you. Best wishes for a successful funding process and the making of a wonderful film.
Congratulations! What an inspiration you are to your students to continue to pursue your passion.
This just in: We are proud to announce that Butterscotch the short is an Official Selection of the 2009 San Diego Indie Fest! Been such a great week. Thanks for believing!
I still keep typing 2009. Arg. I meant an Official Selection of the 2010 San Diego Indie Fest!
That is really cool! Are you going to the Festival?
Congratulations! Proud of You!
That is so awesome! Congratulations
Wait. This just in! We just got into the 2010 Charleston International Film Festival!!!
Awesome!!!! Congratulations!!!!!
Great Job! Can’t wait to see what happens next! I have always believed in you and know you will do great things!
For those who are still following this story: We are proud to announce that Butterscotch is an official selection of the 2010 Kansas City Film Festival! Thanks for all of your support.