January 29, 2009

The film Multilevel Relationship follows a young entrepeneur, Kenny, as he tries to drum up business anywhere he can. He'll say almost anything to get his friends involved. And if he can't get his friend Becca involved in the business, he'd gladly settle for being involved with her. This film explores what happens when you'll say anything to get what you want.

Multilevel Relationship takes a comical look at a phenomenon that increasingly defines American culture -- the colonization of personal social networks for economic gain and marketing advantage.

Kenny, the main character in Multilevel Relationship, is a part of this zeitgeist. He wants it all. Economic success, social esteem and thriving relationships. What’s more? He wants them all together.

The fact that Kenny actually says so many true things during these fifteen minutes only alerts us to how messy the moral boundaries of this problem are. 

The fact that Kenny’s motives seem so pure but give way to such problematic actions is meant to heighten our awareness that our ambition and hubris do cloud our judgement and can really hurt those around us.

Andrew and Daniel have been making ridiculous movies together for twenty years. They finally decided that they'd make something that they wouldn't be embarrassed by when their friends posted it on their facebook pages. Multilevel Relationship is their first short film and stars Johnny Russell and Anna Carrini, both members of the award-winning Chicago ensemble, SiNNERMAN. The small ensemble of filmmakers who joined together to create this short film continue to collaborate on projects committed to great art and great relationships.

Multilevel Relationship was shot in 2007 and screened at Festivals in 2009. Multilevel played at the Maryland Festival, the Ohio Independent Festival, the Flickerlings Festival, the Michigan Film Festival, the Akron Film Festival and the Muskegon Film Festival. It will soon be available on disc or itunes and also available for viewing on the web.