Off Ramp
A couple of lovable, degenerate Juggalos must sojourn through America's hellish underbelly to The Gathering of the Juggalos, the one place on earth they feel accepted.
Interview with Writer/Director Nathan Tape
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I made Off Ramp because I fell in love with the Juggalo subculture after watching the documentary American Juggalo. In this documentary, I was introduced to the idea of Juggalo Family Love, which is the idea that no matter your history or background, as long as you show love you get love. These "outcasts" and "social misfits" show each other unconditional acceptance and prove that you can choose your own family, I found this idea very moving and inspiring.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Off Ramp is a film about defying expectations. That’s where the title comes from. Silas and Trey are on a path, and they alter that path when they get off the highway onto the off-ramp. Our film aims to defy the audience’s expectations of Juggalos, of the film they are watching, and of the people they may encounter in their lives. We often bring biases or prejudices to our interactions with other humans, and Off Ramp attempts to break down those expectations. We tried to do this by constantly shifting genres and styles and by even shifting protagonists midway through the film. It starts as one thing, then the off-ramp takes you in another direction. And hopefully in a direction that makes you feel something for the other people on earth.
You should watch this film if you have ever felt a little different, or like an outcast, or maybe that you exist on the outside of what is considered "normal." While this is a film about a specific American subculture, it truly is designed for everyone.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Gosh, there are so many. Personally, I have always felt a little different and I connected so much with the unique idea of unconditional acceptance I found in the Juggalo subculture. I attended the Gathering of the Juggalos in 2021 and met some incredible people who I now consider among my closest friends. I was accepted into this group of unique humans and I wish the same for every human who feels a little different. I find it hard to discuss all of the themes and ideas presented in the film if people haven't seen it. Some of the greatest elements of the film come from the audience having gone down the rabbit hole of watching this crazy film and going on the joy ride with me.
One thing we really wanted to do was to have people check their biases. And I think we achieved it. This film evolves from a buddy road trip comedy, to a drug-filled thriller, to a one-of-a-kind love story, to a near horror film and then ends with an uplifting denouement that makes you cheer. It's kind of everything. We tackle themes of LGTBQ acceptance, Police violence, racism, abortion, individual choice, incest and there's even an adult character who drinks breast milk. And that's honestly just scratching the surface.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The script and film have developed dramatically since my co-writer and I wrote the first draft 8 years ago. At first, we approached this film almost "mocking" the Juggalos. They were more fodder for jokes than anything. But over the years I realized that was the wrong way to look at this subculture, and instead, I fell in love with the Juggalo culture and now it has developed into a story that is not only about Juggalos, but it's about all of us. We all need love and acceptance and the Juggalos are the perfect metaphor for anyone who has ever felt like an "outsider."
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Audiences have loved the film so far. We had our World Premiere at SPLAT! Film Festival in Warsaw, Poland. And I was curious how the film would translate (literally and figuratively) to a Polish crowd of genre film fans. Off Ramp is kind of a mash-up of a lot of genres and maybe horror-adjacent, but is not a horror movie. Not only did the audience love it, but they voted it the best film of the festival! We then played to 2 sold-out screenings at the New Orleans Film Festival where over 350 people watched the film. And the response was huge! We also won an audience award at New Orleans Film Festival ensuring that our film is a crowd-pleaser!
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
One of the greatest compliments I have received so far was when a young man told me: "this film makes me want to be a nicer person." I was so touched by that comment. I told him that making this film has made me a nicer person. I think I am most surprised by the breadth of the people who love this film: 70-year-old rich women, Juggalos, cinephiles, and just movie lovers. It's really a crowd favorite. I am just humbled and honored that it has been connecting with so many people in ways that I did not even expect. People laugh, cringe, scream, cry and cheer at this film and they are mostly touted by how much "heart" it has and that gives me so much joy.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I would love to have more eyes on the film in whatever way possible. This is a totally independent production and we need all of the help that we can get. The film is strong, but that often isn't enough to get the right eyes on it. So we would love to raise our profile and spread the message of Juggalo love and this just helps us do that even more!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We have engaged with THE COVEN as sales agents for this film and we are looking to meet buyers, distributors, film festival directors and journalists to get the message of this film out there. It is a small, grassroots film that needs the help of "word of mouth" and fans of cinema to help us get the message of the film out there. Our experience thus far has been that audiences love to watch this movie in the theater! So we want to spread the Juggalo family love all over the world!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I want people to love this film and for it to receive "cult" status. I want to connect with more people who feel like they may not "belong" anywhere or that they could use a little unconditional acceptance. I would love to make more people aware of Juggalos and of the good that a lot of them do for each other. I would love to have more people want to "be a nicer person" as the kid who watched my film and was touched by its' message and theme. I just want people to see it, because when they do, they typically are moved by it.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
"What is a Juggalo?"
I think that after people see this film, there will be lots of questions and conversations to be had. That has been my experience. So come and see it, and then ask some questions.
At the end of the film, Trey asks this question and I think it sparks a great conversation: "We all think we deserve grace, but how many of us show compassion to those around us? The unfortunate, the ugly, the poor, the gross? Blood may be thicker than water, but it ain't shit compared to the bond of the Juggalo family."
Would you like to add anything else?
When I tell people about Off Ramp. They usually smirk, laugh and ask: “Why Juggalos? Are you a Juggalo?”
The answer is no, I did not come to this idea because I was a Juggalo. In fact, when I came up with this idea five years ago, I looked at Juggalos and laughed, I saw them as fodder for comedy. But as I did my research, I found something beautiful, a simple notion that lies at the root of Juggalo culture: Acceptance.
Juggalos refer to any friend or ally as their “Family.” Family doesn’t have to be a genetic thing, it can be the people you choose, people who share
a mindset or taste. How many of us accept the people around us without judgment? How many of us would treat a stranger like family?
Off Ramp is my attempt to showcase that idea of family love and acceptance. I had this vision of a pair of misunderstood Juggalos in the middle of the woods with blood on their hands while saving lives, the unlikely heroes of a dramatic scenario.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
My co-writer and I have two scripts that we have completed and are ready for production. The first is titled American Monsters and it is a survivalist horror film about a group of diverse people who get kidnapped from a dance club and wake up in the back of a van driven by American Neo-nazis and their struggle to survive. The second is titled Shell Games and it is a Dark comedy crime love story about a Southern boy who moves to the big city, but can't find a way to survive in late-stage American Capitalism, so he turns to crime.
We have two other features in the development stages and are looking to write those in the near future and produce Shell Games in 2024.
Interview: December 2023
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Off Ramp
A couple of lovable, degenerate Juggalos must sojourn through America's hellish underbelly to The Gathering of the Juggalos, the one place on earth they feel accepted.
Length: 1:31:00
Director: Nathan Tape
Producer: Fabiola Andrade
Writer: Nathan Tape & Tim Cairo
About the writer, director and producer:
NATHAN TAPE grew up in the Deep South, and as a teenager, he made movies using his family’s home movie camera, editing on their VCR. As a Filmmaker, Nathan tells stories about outsiders on the fringes of society. With his background in photography and music, his films have a bold visual style and exhibit a strong connection to music. Off Ramp is Nathan’s debut feature film. Nathan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University in New Orleans, and a Master’s Degree in Film Production from Loyola Marymount Los Angeles. After school, Nathan returned to Louisiana and began working as a Gaffer for films and television (Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, Night Teeth, Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger), and as a cinematographer on feature films (The King of New Orleans, Demigod). Nathan has also directed, produced and photographed music videos for artists such as Rotary Downs, Cha Wa, Silent Em as well as his own group, Know-One and DamNathan. In 2020, Nathan wrote, directed, photographed and edited Moriah, his first narrative short film since graduate school. Moriah has won multiple awards and screened at over 30 festivals worldwide. Nathan lives in New Orleans and is a big fan of peanut butter and the New Orleans Saints.
TIM was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, where he grew up watching Wayne Gretzky and spending way too much time at a giant mall. He has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws, both from the University of Alberta. He earned a Master of Fine Arts from The American Film Institute, where he received the David Pincus Memorial Award for Screenwriting. He has written, produced, and/or directed for [PICK 5] ESPN, Funny or Die, All Def Digital, Bedrocket Media, Maker Studio, Black Pills, Mucho Mas Productions, Divide/Conquer Productions, AGC Studios amongst others. He has produced music videos for such artists as E-40 and Ab-Soul, as well as Grammy winners like Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and Hit-Boy. He also produced the acclaimed documentary Jay Rock: Road To Redemption. Tim co-wrote and produced the feature film Lowlife, which premiered at Montreal’s Fantasia Fest where it won a Special Jury Prize and was purchased by IFC Midnight. Tim is currently working on his next film, Night Patrol which he co-wrote and is executive producing with David Goyer’s Phantom Four Productions. He is also writing an original crime-drama for XYZ.
FABIOLA ANDRADE is a filmmaker inspired by her multicultural heritage and interdisciplinary background. The constant themes in her projects include identity exploration, human dynamics, and the surreal manifestations of the so-called “ordinary life”. She is a Telluride Film Festival Cinephile and NOFF’s Emerging Voices mentee, as well as a member of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Women in Film, and the New Orleans Film Society. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Film Production where she received the University of New Orleans Italy Global Ambassador Award, studying the Roman World in Literature and Film, and Art Appreciation in Rome, Florence, Paris, and Munich. In between her own projects, she has collaborated with Independent and Studio Productions from Paramount Pictures, Universal and Netflix. Her commercial and music video work includes brands like Coca-Cola, Gap, Mitsubishi, The Soul Rebels, Brittany Purdy and NF.
Key cast: Jon Oswald (Trey), Scott Turner Schofield (Silas), Ashley Smith (Eden), Jared Bankens (Scarecrow), Reed Diamond (Gavin), Miles Doleac (Randy Cox)
Looking for: distributors, journalists, film festival directors, buyers
Facebook: Off Ramp
Instagram: @offrampfilm
Hashtags used: #offrampfilm #juggaloroadtrip #juggalofamily
Website: www.offrampfilm.com
Other: IMDb
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Sherman Oaks Film Festival/LOOK Dine-in Cinemas, 128 Artsakh Ave. Glendale, CA 91206 - 12/3/23 4:00pm