WISCONSIN — Wisconsinites, you have another reason to be proud of your state. A soon-to-be-released movie on Nov. 24 is absolutely positively Wisconsin. Other than two people, the entire cast and crew are based out of Wisconsin, and the entire film was shot here.
The movie is called Mags and Julie Go On A Road Trip.
“It’s a great way to highlight Wisconsin and Wisconsinites, and show there’s a ton of talented people there," Ryann Liebl, the film's producer, director, writer, and main character said.
Liebl plays Mags. She is an overworked woman who hasn't taken a vacation in years. She learns that after her grandfather passes, she was left a cabin in Rhinelander. Her best friend Julie convinces her to check it out, and the two embark on a hilarious road trip filled with twists and turns.
They shot in Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Mequon, Door County, and even more places across the state.
"Well it's a bit of a love letter to my home state. I grew up in Wisconsin," Liebl said.
Liebl grew up in Wisconsin until she turned 18. For the past several summers, she has been summering in Wisconsin and after meeting a few people decided to film a movie here.
"It highlights all of the great things about the Midwest and Wisconsin in general, you know. People who are characters. People who are down to earth. Beautiful scenery. It's kind of an escapist movie, you know. You can watch it and get some joy and laugh at some people and forget, you know, how kind of odd 2020 has been," she said.
Liebl describes this movie as "a physical comedy with heart." She wanted to write a movie that everyone could watch and didn't include vulgar humor.
"Well I mean for me, I think as a female filmmaker I personally got sick of seeing so many comedies that were written by men for women," she said.
Wisconsin supplied more than just the crew and backdrop. She said that the filmmaking community helped her accomplish things she never would have been able to in Los Angeles. For some locations she filmed at, she said she was given the local discount. If the movie was shot in L.A., Liebl said some of the same spaces would have cost $50,000.
You might even recognize one of the other actors, Wes Tank. You might know him from his Dr. Seuss and StoryRaps videos. He plays one of the lead roles in the film - Mags' boss.
"I think it's a really good family-friendly film," he said.
The film will be released to all streaming platforms by Nov. 24. However, it is currently on pre-order via iTunes. Liebl said that if they are able to reach about 500 pre-orders, the distribution of their video will be much wider. That means Wisconsin actors will get a ton more well-deserved exposure. It costs $12.99 for a pre-order or about the same price as one movie ticket. Find it here.
