DEFINITION
/doun/too,tə/ THē,THə/ felt/
verb
The term used when a player has put all their chips into the pot, e.g. has gone all in, with nothing but the felt in front of them.
GENRE
Action-thriller/dark-comedy
FORMAT
Stand-alone narrative feature for theatrical and streaming release
SETTING
Current day Columbus, Ohio
LOGLINE
With the deck stacked against him and life calling his bluff, a compulsive gambler makes a desperate deal with a psychopathic hitman to kill him in two weeks. But then, life suddenly starts dealing him aces.
DOWN TO THE FELT
OFFICALY ATTACHED…
SCOTTIE THOMPSON
as ERICA CHAMBERS
(STAR TREK, NCIS, GREY’S ANATOMY, THE BLACKLIST, 9-1-1, MURDER AT YELLOWSTONE CITY)
MEET THE TEAM
JON OSBECK
Director, Co-Writer
An award-winning filmmaker, producer, and actor, Jon has been working in film and television production both behind and in front of the camera for over 20 years. His independent feature film MINUS ONE (Winner, Best Narrative Feature, GI Film Festival), is now available on Amazon Prime Video and Tubi. As a writer-director, Jon’s work has been featured on the Independent Film Channel and garnered awards at festivals around the world, including his most recent short film SUPPER (Winner, World Premiere Film Awards). In the corporate world, Jon has served as a writer, producer, director, videographer, animator, and editor on hundreds of commercials, voiceovers, and industrials. He recently went back to Capital University to complete a B.A. in Film and Journalism, graduating summa cum laude.
As a film actor, Jon can currently be seen in the Tom Hanks film A MAN CALLED OTTO, and as a series regular in the Amazon original series A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. Jon has worked with top directors such as Todd Haynes, Marc Forster, Emilio Estevez, Andrew Neel, and DOWNTON ABBY’s Andy Goddard.
CULLEN DOUGLAS
Producer
No stranger to the world of film and TV as an actor, writer, producer, and director, Cullen holds the distinction of being the first recipient of the Humanitas Prize’s “New Voices Initiative” - created to discover, develop and launch talented writers under the mentorship of Hollywood showrunners and studio partners.
Cullen produced and directed the narrative short films, FADING SCARS, set against 9/11, and PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN AT DAWN, a #MeToo-inspired story set in 1920’s Paris which screened at over 50 international festivals and took top prizes in all categories, including Best Short Film and Best Director.
Perhaps most recognized as an actor, Cullen recently recurred on HBO’s BARRY, ABC’s STATION 19, Showtime’s I LOVE THAT FOR YOU, Marvel’s AGENTS OF S.H.E.I.L.D., CBS's PURE GENIUS, and ABC's SCANDAL. Fan-favorite appearances include roles on TRUE BLOOD, PRISON BREAK, DEADWOOD, TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN, GREY'S ANATOMY, and Steven Spielberg's anthology series AMAZING STORIES for AppleTV+. His film work includes starring roles in THE BLACK STRING, John Sayles’ SUNSHINE STATE, SHUTTLE, THE POSSESSION OF MICHAEL KING, and MAN ON FIRE, opposite Lance Reddick. Cullen next stars opposite Tony Todd and Tobin Bell in the feature thriller, THE BUNKER, and recurs on the upcoming limited series CASA GRANDE. As a writer and director, his 2022 feature film BILLY FLANIGAN: THE HAPPIEST MAN ON EARTH was lauded by critics and audiences alike as the feel-good doc of the year.
MOLLY KREUZMAN
Co-Producer
In her more than 20 years in the film industry, Molly has served as the Executive Director of Film Southern Oregon, was a founding member of the BendFilm Festival, and worked a variety of roles for the Ashland Independent Film Festival. Most recently she co-produced PHOENIX, OREGON (starring Diedrich Bader, Lisa Edelstein, and James Le Gros), as well as directed and produced the internationally distributed documentary EARTH SEASONED... #GAPYEAR.
JENNIFER SCHAAF
Co-Producer
Actor, writer, producer and photographer, Jennifer has been working in the film and video industry for more than 15 years. Most recently she produced the award-winning short film MANN VS. FISH (Winner - World Premiere Film Awards). She has produced content for some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including, Southwest Airlines, Nestle, and Chipotle. As a voice talent, she has been chosen by clients regionally and nationally. Jennifer also owns and operates a thriving photography business producing work that has been featured in books, magazines, and social media. Her passion for social causes continues to inspire her to apply her talents to projects that make an impact not only in her community but the world at large.
DINO TRIPODIS
Co-Writer
A writer, producer, and actor from Columbus, Ohio, Dino recently produced, co-wrote, and co-starred in the Indie feature, THE STREET WHERE WE LIVE (Winner, Glass City Film Festival) which is now available on Amazon Prime and Tubi. Dino was also the Executive Producer for Jon Osbeck’s award-winning feature film, MINUS ONE. He also served as co-producer, co-writer, and co-star in the award-winning short film, SUPPER (Winner, Judge’s Choice World Premiere Film Awards). Dino is also the host of the award-winning podcast, WHISKEY BUSINESS on the Evergreen Podcast Network and currently can be found filling in his early morning hours co-hosting SUNNY THIS MORNING on 94.7 FM in Columbus, Ohio.
RALPH SCOTT
Co-Writer
An alumnus of Second City Chicago, Ralph has been writing, producing, directing, acting, and teaching for over 40 years. In Chicago, he was the creator, director, and head writer for the improv group The Players To Be Named Later (Chicago Sun-Times Top 3 Best Improv Groups). His writing credits include FLOPSEE AND BUTTERCUP (Winner, Top Shorts Film Festival, IndieX Film Festival), and FACING THE SHADOWS (Audience Award Nominee, Reel Recovery Film Festival). Most recently, Ralph co-created and co-wrote the series pilot for FLATTENING THE CURVE (Best Pilot, L.A. Webfest).
BOARD OF ADVISORS
ANDY GODDARD
Director, Screenwriter
Andy is Director and Executive Producer on MONARCH, for Legendary/ Apple. Previously, he was Director and Executive Producer of CARNIVAL ROW Series 2 for Legendary/Amazon, having worked on Series 1. His third feature film, SIX MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT, which he co-wrote with Celyn Jones and Eddie Izzard, was released by Lionsgate International in 2020. The film stars Judi Dench, alongside Eddie Izzard, Jim Broadbent, Carla Juri and James D’Arcy. A prolific director for TV, Andy recently shot CARNIVAL ROW for Amazon and ALTERED CARBON for Netflix. He divides his time between the UK and the US, directing shows including DAREDEVIL, LUKE CAGE and THE PUNISHER for Marvel/Netflix.
PAULA HUNZIKER
Director, Screenwriter
Born and raised in Southern California, Paula obtained a Bachelors degree from Cal State University Long Beach Radio, TV & Film department. She pursued her love of filmmaking into her career as a script supervisor and eventually director. She had her episodic directorial debut on ABC Family's/Freeform hit show "Pretty Little Liars", followed up with a second episode the next season. Paula directed, co-wrote and produced her 15-minute multi-award winning short film You & Me. Paula has since gone on to direct several episodes of television including Fox's hit shows 9-1-1 and 9-1-1 Lonestar for Ryan Murphy Television Prods as well as several episodes of ABC's acclaimed series Station19 for Shondaland.
JENNIFER REEDER
Director, Writer, Producer
A veteran Chicago filmmaker and OSU alum, former Wex intern and Wexner Center Artist Residency Award recipient, Reeder creates innovative narrative films, garnering several awards that have qualified her films for Oscar nomination. Her films have shown around the world, including the Sundance Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, The Tribeca Film Festival, The Rotterdam Film Festival, The London Film Festival, SXSW, The Venice Biennale and The Whitney Biennial. Her recent film, Knives and Skin was theatrically released in France through UFO and in the US through IFC Midnight. Her new feature length film PERPETRATOR, starring Alicia Silverstone, is currently available on AMC’s streaming outlet Shudder.
COLIN WEST
Writer, Director
Colin is an award-winning writer & director from a cul-de-sac in the Midwest now based in LA & NYC. His most recent feature film LINOLEUM, starring Jim Gaffigan, Rhea Seehorn, Katelyn Nacon, Amy Hargreaves, Michael Ian Black and Tony Shalhoub, world premiered at SXSW Film Festival in 2022 (Grand Jury Prize nominee). His films have screened internationally at festivals including BFI London Film Festival, Fantasia, San Francisco International Film Festival, Cleveland Film Festival, and many others. He was awarded the Alfred P. Sloan Science in Cinema prize at SFFILM in 2022, a New York Times critic’s pick in 2023, and was an Annenberg Foundation MFA Fellow at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.
GEORGE RUSH
Producer, Attorney
George M. Rush is a producer and attorney specializing in the entertainment industry with emphasis on the independent film community. Clients include producers, directors, screenwriters and investors in development, production and distribution phases. George has been production counsel on hundreds of films including the successful indie film THEY/THEM/US. George repped Barry Jenkin's Medicine for Melancholy, and David Robert Mitchell's Myth of the American Sleepover, and recently worked on successful indie movies such as Menashe, Lovesong, Always Shine, Krisha and The Last Black Man in San Francisco.