Photo Courtesy of Andrew Gibson

Have you ever been walking around Allston and thought, “This place would be the perfect setting for a gritty drama about young, homeless street punks trying to find their place in the world, resisting the tedium of a forced 9-5 careerist lifestyle and simply surviving in a harsh world?” Well, so did Andrew Gibson, who’s gearing up to direct Gutterbug, a film that explores those themes listed above. Gibson is also the former head of video for Allston Pudding, so we’re excited to see him develop a full feature! The project’s synopsis, quoted from the film’s Indie GoGo  description, reads as follows: 

Stephen Bugsby, known by his street name “Bug,” left home on his 18th birthday. GUTTERBUG picks up three years later at his rock bottom. When the punk rock shows end and the drugs wear off, things feel quiet on his dirty mattress under the overpass. The suffocating atmosphere of the homeless environment and its toxic characters spark something in him he forgot he had… Before choosing death as the answer, Bug makes a choice even he didn’t see coming.

Gibson also says that the project will explore the DIY basement punk scene that is prevalent around Allston. As is stated on the Indie GoGo page, “the basement music scene and some of the more grimy parts of the Boston neighborhood helped to further inspire our protagonist.” Many local acts, like Nice Guys and Black Beach, will feature on the soundtrack, while James Fraser and Ben Berners-Lee  of The Symptoms will create the score. 

Shooting for the film will take place entirely in Allston, especially at abandoned locales in the area, “such as decrepit buildings, under highway overpasses, in deserted train cars, among overgrown railroad tracks and forgotten factories.” Despite the shooting location, one of the goals of the project if to craft a narrative that could take place at any time, in any city. 

While the production crew have a good contingent of supplies already, they still need some help when it comes to funding to book certain locations and other areas. To donate to the project, visit Gutterbug‘s Indie GoGo page. For any aspiring actors reading this who would be interested in adding their talents to the project, there will be an open casting call on June 11th at Red Sky Studios from 12-6pm.