By: Bridget Mulroy
They filmed in single-degree weather in January, 2022. A Crew of ten people. Half the cast was non-actors. And they filmed for 11 days. Sounds like a recipe for disaster when making a movie, but the result was quite the opposite.
“Hard work, endless preparation, crystal clear vision, and a take no prisoners mentality” is what first-time writer/director Kevin Interdonato says made this movie possible. A renowned actor with over 20 acting awards from around the globe, Interdonato threw his hat in the ring and bet on himself.
The Bastard Sons, a crime/gangster movie about a family of bastard brothers seeking revenge on their father’s killer, defied the odds when it was released on January 5th, 2024. This low-budget venture managed to hook viewers in from the first opening line that Interdonato’s character Vincent Damiano states in an engaging voiceover: “I’m not a good man’.
From that point on unfolds, an engaging, realistic and refreshing interpretation of the typical gangster-genre film. Securing distribution from one of Hollywood’s leading distributors, Vertical Entertainment, Bastards opened up in 5 major cities and on VOD simultaneously, to rave reviews and an outpouring of viewership no one expected.
“Once the film is released, you hope with every part of you that people can connect to the story. It’s a scary moment, releasing a film. I had a gut feeling Bastards would resonate; I just needed enough people to see it for the steamroll effect on the platforms to take place”.
And steamroll it did. The outpouring of major reviews for a small movie without a major theatrical release, bankable star power or major film festival clout has proved it is possible to reach a wide audience…But what’s the secret sauce? Thousands of low-budget movies are made each year, with only a tiny percentage receiving the type of clout as Bastards for a higher level of storytelling. So how is this possible in an Industry clouded with Studio-level and star-driven, big-budget Indies?
“I’m an actor. A storyteller. And a businessman…not necessarily in that order”, states Interdonato. ‘I did everything in my power to cover every aspect of creativity and production to complete and execute Bastards. My abilities ended at that point, but there was no way I would let this film go public without the proper marketing behind it, just like all successful films. Just because I’m not a Studio Producer has no bearing that I shouldn’t think like that, and all the signs were there from reviewers touting the film that it was worth the effort. Marketing is not my wheelhouse, and I was beyond fortunate when the right guy (Tom LaVecchia) attended a Screening in NJ. Tom enjoyed the film, we spoke, and then hit the ground running with a plan to execute Bastards the right way into the world”.
Tom LaVecchia, owner of X-Factor Media Marketing, is an avid movie fan and host of the mob-related podcast New Theory. After viewing the screening of The Bastard Sons, Tom approached Kevin, and the two began working together after several discussions about the proper marketing to serve the film the best.
“Marketing any movie, especially one without star power, is at an incredible disadvantage to get eyeballs and viewers. I knew this going into it. But believing in yourself and your creative abilities only goes so far. I’ve seen so many wonderful films that no one’s ever even heard of. They get swept under the rug or in the shadows of other bigger releases. There was no way in hell I was going to let that happen with Bastards. Having a legitimate marketing company is key for any film to get seen, and I am truly fortunate to have met Tom. Yes, people enjoy the film, but outside our Social media promotions, X-Factor is solely responsible for them seeing it”.
Countless articles, frontpage headlines, releases by Yahoo Finance and NewsBreak, TV appearances, ‘The Bastard Sons’ was spread far and wide to dedicated audiences. LaVecchia, a marketing veteran in many areas, carved out a niche approach to get Bastards out to the audience that would respond best to the Movie. Since its release, Bastards remains one of the hottest rentals on Amazon and iTunes, and continues to strive.
So it seems we found the secret sauce. Granted, the movie has to hold up too. I’ve seen my share of horrible, cringe-worthy, and just boring movies just as much as the next person.
But that’s the thing. I saw them…because I knew about them.
Published By: Aize Perez
