Twin brothers Terry and Larry Ziegelman, filmmakers of LA and Chicago, respectively, recently transformed a bizarre workplace tragedy into “9 To 5 Feet Under,” a dark comedy that premiered at LA’s Dances with Films in June.
“9 To 5 Feet Under” is a 10-minute journey through the final moments of a man who dies at his desk while on the job as a health products salesman. Shrouded in the dim glow of a computer monitor, his passing goes unnoticed by the office workers who dwell in the same space.
The plot is derived from a news story Terry saw one night, “about this guy dying in his cubicle,” he explains. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s a great idea.’”
The morbid inspiration prompted him to contact his brother, Larry.
The Ziegelmans have collaborated for years. Their efforts include 2010’s “Boom Boom,” the story of two aspiring suicide bombers who argue over which one gets to blow up a coffee shop and claim the divine booty that allegedly awaits certain kinds of murderers in heaven.
The film generated success as well as notoriety.
Following-up with the tale of a guy who dies in his cubicle seemed like a good move because, according to Terry, “It’s got a universality” and “it was dark but not as divisive as ‘Boom Boom.’”
Upon hearing the idea, Larry recalls thinking, “great premise, but where you gonna take it?”
Terry offered him 15 pages worth of destinations.
With years of experience creating commercials, Larry used his advertising finesse to whittle the script down to nearly half the size.
He also worked to maximize the movie’s potential exposure. “Shorter films do better at festivals,” he says.
Back in LA, Terry began thinking about locations. While working on animation for “Hotel Transylvania” at Sony Imageworks, he noticed that the cubicles were kept dark to facilitate the visual process.
“So dark,” he says, “I would have to use my hands to find the chair.”
It made such a perfect model for the set of “9 To 5 Feet Under” that he persuaded Sony to let him film there.
They cast Wisconsin native and indie LA actor Shaun Parker in the role of Bob, the man who dies. The rest of the characters are “so into themselves” that they fail to realize one of them is no longer alive.
“It says a lot about corporate culture,” Terry notes. “People are so myopic.” Except for Bob’s mother, who leaves him voicemails throughout the film.
Kevin Moss from “Chicago Overcoat” came on as DP and Spencer Keimon, a reality show veteran, edited.
Before the shoot, Terry gave Moss hand-painted “dark greenish” images based on the work of George Tooker, one of his favorite painters, to use as a reference.
“I said ‘imagine the main character’s cubicle is hell,’” he recalls. “And outside, just beyond the curtain, is this bright light: heaven.”
“9 to 5 Feet Under” is scheduled for NewFilmmakers LA in September, among other festivals.
