Title: In the Closet

 

Logline: After stumbling into each other’s arms in a coat closet of a funeral home, a shy but optimistic Screenwriter from Los Angles attempts to win the heart of an alluring funeral director consumed with managing his family business in Illinois.

 

After their meeting, a series of unfortunate events keep the couple from ever actually getting together outside of the funeral home. It’s not a curse or anything weird like that, just like job and family stuff. Well, one of their mothers does fall off a ladder, which keeps them apart, but that’s totally a coincidence, and just because she’s really clumsy and stubborn. Even with all the challenges that they face while attempting to further their relationship, their connection grows so strong that they find any excuse to be together. Can love persevere when distance, family values and careers stand in their way? Also, don’t dwell on the fact that they fall in love while attending a funeral. Everyone grieves in their own way!

 

Synopsis: Andrew, a budding screenwriter in Los Angeles, is franticly racing to finish a writing deadline for his manager, when his boisterous and all too convincing roommate, Mel, convinces him to go out. After having a little too much fun and getting sick at the nightclub, Andrew gets a call from his high school best friend, Samantha, that her mother has passed away. The two go home and the next day, Andrew begins making arrangements to fly home for the funeral. Mel assists Andrew in packing with her sarcastic comments, the only way she knows how.

 

While pillaging the buffet table at the visitation in Illinois, Andrew sees David, a handsome and well-dressed man, talking to some guests. When David catches Andrew staring, he smiles, startling Andrew causing him to drop his silverware. David approaches Andrew to make sure everything is alright, and introduces himself as the funeral director. Andrew rambles awkwardly, his usual form of flirtation, and David offers to give him a tour, to which Andrew eagerly agrees. Toward the end of the tour, they hear a glass break down the hall. Andrew offers to help David get a broom and a dustpan, following him into a broom closet, a bit too closely. As David turns around, their eyes meet, and they kiss. Passionately.

 

While home in LA, Andrew gets a message from his mom that his uncle Robert has passed away. Andrew flies home for his uncle’s funeral, rekindling the attraction between David and himself. The pair eventually find themselves, yet again in their closet. Their rendezvous is cut short when David’s mom, Susan, catches the pair mid-canoodle. They make plans to see each other later that night, which are derailed when Andrew’s mom, Whitney, ends up in the hospital with a mild concussion. David spends the evening accompanying Andrew at the hospital.

 

Andrew is back in LA and unable to focus on work. After discussing their current situations and the possibility of a relationship, Andrew and David decide it is best to be just friends. David decides to test the waters and raises the question, to Susan, regarding how long they plan to hold onto the family business now that his father has passed away. Susan insists she keep the funeral home running, as not doing so would dishonor the hard work and sacrifices made by her husband.

 

A couple months, and many sleepless nights later, Andrew is doing research and discovers one of his grade school teachers, whom he very much admired, has passed away. Andrew flies back to Illinois for yet another funeral. This time, Andrew plans to surprise David, only to find out that, this time, David is seeing someone else. Devastated, Andrew returns to his seat to mourn the loss of his teacher and the possibility of being with David. Feeling guilty, David decides to stop by Whitney’s house to see Andrew for a bit while he’s in town and offers to drive him to the airport. The two almost kiss when a police officer knocks on the window, telling them to pull up, leaving them more confused on where they go now. With some tough love advice from Mel, Andrew realizes he needs to put his pride aside and tell David how he feels. Meanwhile, David finds the guy he is seeing kissing another man and breaks if off. Susan, seeing David so depressed, decides it’s time to finally move on from the family business and sell it.

 

David, being freed of the family business, flies to Los Angeles, where he surprises Andrew. Andrew eagerly offers for him to stay with him and Mel, while he puts his business degree to use. Andrew and Mel fly to Illinois for a family dinner to celebrate the sale of the funeral home. Whitney, as she is poised to do, drinks a bit too much of wine while cooking a duck, and falls asleep. After nearly burning the house down and throwing the burnt duck onto the patio, Susan, David, Andrew, Whitney, and Mel gather happily around the dinner table over takeout.

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I hope that you will give the trailer a look and fall in love with the story, like I did. At a time when the LGBTQ lifestyle is coming under attack all over the world, we need heartfelt stories of love like this one. There’s so much hate, ignorance, and misunderstanding toward our community. We need to showcase how our love can be just as beautiful as the love between a heterosexual couple. It’s also very important to me, as a white cis gendered male, for this film to be as diverse as possible. That includes the actors and the crew, and I have made sure my script reflects that. If you do have any interest in knowing more, I also used the footage we shot to make a 10-minute extended trailer. That link is below.  I know this isn’t the traditional way of getting a movie produced, but It’s really the quickest way I could think of to get you to see the concept and entice you to want to know more. As I mentioned, I think it’s very important that we put more love stories out there, like this one.

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Link to Extended Trailer: https://youtu.be/QEHlc8eSboQ   

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- Adam Deaton

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