About the Film
VINNY “THE SHOVEL” ZAPPARELLI a.k.a. WILLIE SNITCH is a former Philly mobster in witness protection who has been sent to Prosperous Lake, New Mexico.
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
Prosperous Lake is the site of the County Fair and the test site for a secret government experiment to create a super fertilizer Vegantuan XL. Willie (formerly Vinny) settles into his mundane routine and a job at the local hardware store. The only bright spot are his evenings spent at the local watering hole ogling his town crush waitress, LINDER HAMERSMITH.
Meanwhile, the secret tanker truck full of Vegantuan XL crashes on its way to the target test site, and its contents soak into the ground of Prosperous Lake Cemetery, bringing the dead back to life. Only now they have a ravenous appetite for vegetables.
The corrupt Secretary of Agriculture, BROOKE MEADOWS, uses her power to isolate Prosperous Lake from the rest of the world, while he attempts to cover up the unauthorized secret experiment. The townspeople find themselves under siege as the vegan zombies mow their way through town, advancing on the County Fair where the prize fruits and vegetables are.
Vinny reluctantly joins the fight, for fear of losing his shot at love with Linder. Although desperate to save their produce, the townsfolk are outnumbered and overwhelmed. Vinny (Willie) becomes the unlikely hero when he discovers a way to even the odds and return the ravenous vegan zombies to their eternal dirt nap, while saving the County Fair.
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
Prosperous Lake is the site of the County Fair and the test site for a secret government experiment to create a super fertilizer Vegantuan XL. Vinny (formerly Willie) settles into his mundane routine and a job at the local hardware store. The only bright spot are his evenings spent at the local watering hole ogling his town crush waitress, LINDER HAMERSMITH.
Meanwhile, the secret tanker truck full of Vegantuan XL crashes on its way to the target test site, and its contents soak into the ground of Prosperous Lake Cemetery, bringing the dead back to life. Only now they have a ravenous appetite for vegetables.
The corrupt Secretary of Agriculture, BROOKE MEADOWS, uses his power to isolate Prosperous Lake from the rest of the world, while he attempts to cover up the unauthorized secret experiment. The townspeople find themselves under siege as the vegan zombies mow their way through town, advancing on the County Fair where the prize fruits and vegetables are.
Vinny reluctantly joins the fight, for fear of losing his shot at love with Linder. Although desperate to save their produce, the townsfolk are outnumbered and overwhelmed. Vinny (Willie) becomes the unlikely hero when he discovers a way to even the odds and return the ravenous vegan zombies to their eternal dirt nap, while saving the County Fair.
The Graphic Novel
The Night of the Vegan graphic novel is a 60 page, hardcover, full color book, inspired by the screenplay created and written by Elijah C Richardson Jr and Leroy E. Bryant II.
You can purchase the graphic novel on Amazon or directly from the publisher here.
You can also find more info about the project at Outland Entertainment!
Created by Elijah C Richardson Jr & Leroy E. Bryant II
Written by Elijah C Richardson Jr, Leroy E. Bryant II, & Alana Joli Abbott
Illustrated by Chris Yarbrough & Lee Oaks
Colored by Figue
Lettered by Ed Dukeshire
Published by Outland Entertainment
Creative Team
Leroy E.
Bryant II
DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER, & WRITER
Leroy attended and graduated from Delcastle Technical High School in Wilmington, Delaware. He later attended Delaware Technical and Community College graduating with an associate degree in Criminal Justice. He is fluent in Italian.
Leroy co-founded, co-owned and operated Allegra Desserts S.A.S. from 1999 until 2007 when he sold his shares in the company to pursue a career in film. The company operated as Divina Desserts USA in the United States. He was the Director of U.S. Operations and head of the company’s research and development for the Italian-based company. Leroy was responsible for day-to-day operations of the company’s largest market, the United States (and Canada until 2002). The company produced artisan classic Italian desserts, which it exported to seven different countries from Italy. In just two years, in 2001, Leroy’s vision and leadership catapulted Divina/Allegra Desserts to succeed as the second largest dessert manufacturer in Southern Italy.
Leroy has co-written two re-writes for Emmy and Peabody and award-winning Producer Lee Levinson of Lee Levinson Productions; Leroy has co-directed and co-produced two original reality show sizzle-reels entitled Chesapeake Crabbers and Urban Voodoo.
Elijah Carlton
Richardson Jr.
DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER, & WRITER
Elijah grew up and was raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. After graduating from St. Joseph’s H.S., Elijah attended West Virginia University to pursue a career in education. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education, minor in Sports Management. He spent over fifteen years as a director for the YMCA and Boys & Girls Club. At both organizations, Elijah provided programs and services to thousands of children to prepare them for success.
Elijah and business partner Leroy have also been writing screenplays for several years. In 2005, as a screenwriting team, they completed their first original screenplay, “The Second Coming,” after initially collaborating on a comic book project. The screenplay earned them a quarterfinalist placing in the Writer’s on the Storm screenwriting contest in LA.
In 2018, Elijah and Leroy co-wrote, produced and directed their original script Creature I n The Woods, which was released worldwide by Summer Hills Films.
In 2019, Elijah and Leroy’s book Yesterday Mourning which they adapted from their original screenplay of same title was published and released worldwide by Covenant Books.
Elijah is a graduate of the Hollywood Film Institute with diplomas for “Feature Film Producers” and has been certified as a “Cinema Director & Line Producer.”
Elijah has obtained dozens of certifications throughout his professional careers such as Effective Guidance & Discipline, Raising Annual Operating Funds, The Boardroom: Foundation for Governance, Developing Superior Work Teams, Clinician for the National Youth Sports Coaches Association, Marketing & Public Relations certificate.
Lisa London & Catherine Stroud
CASTING DIRECTORS
Lisa London and Catherine Stroud have been Casting Directors for over 30 years and have cast over a 100 successful film and television shows. They have discovered and/or cast many notable actors and actresses early in their careers who have all gone on to become stars, such as Miley Cyrus in Hannah Montana, Jonah Hill in Grandma’s Boy, Emma Stone, Katharine McPhee and Kat Dennings in House Bunny, Selena Gomez in the Disney pilot of What’s Stevie Thinking, Jennifer Aniston in her first feature, Leprechaun, Brad Pitt in the series, Freddy’s Nightmares, Mark Ruffalo in the CBS series, Due South, Megan Hilty and Adrian R. Mante in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Yara Shahidi in her first television series, The First Family.
They have cast a number of hit movies including House Bunny, Grandma’s Boy and Sandy Wexler for Happy Madison Productions, as well as a number of popular television shows including Roseanne, Arliss, Get A Life, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Hannah Montana.
Winner of nine awards in the festival circuit, Freaks, a sci-fi psychological thriller, co-directed, written and produced by Adam B. Stein and Zach Lipovsky, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in Sept. 2018 and was released nationwide on Sept.13th 2019. It also became the number one independent film on itunes and is currently one of the top 10 features trending on Netflix. Freaks stars Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Amanda Crew and the up and coming young star to be, Lexy Kolker.
Whether they are casting a big budget feature or an independent film, Lisa and Catherine are passionate casting directors who will do whatever it takes to get your film or television project the best cast possible.