SAINT JO & THE SAILOR / lookbook

disclaimer: this presentation is a ‘look book’ for the sole purpose of pre-production of ‘saint jo & the sailor’. credits are not contractual. all images and text are the sole property of their originator and are reserved world-wide.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

‘SAINT JO & THE SAILOR’ is a story about two people who save each other by believing in one another.

I wrote ‘SAINT JO & THE SAILOR’ with my mom, my closest creative collaborator. What began as a screenplay became a lifetime of writing together. Storytelling was how we connected, how we encouraged one another and how we gave life to our dreams.

My mom passed away before she could see this film come to life, but her voice is on every page. Finishing ‘SAINT JO & THE SAILOR’ isn’t just about making a movie, it’s about completing something we started together. It’s my way of honoring the person who taught me that believing in someone can change a life.

Filmmaking is a team sport. Join us.

Sean Doyle

SYNOPSIS

LOGLINE

‘SAINT JO & THE SAILOR’ is about a young girl who has no future and a man who has lost his past, but together, they have all they need.

SHORT SYNOPSIS

‘SAINT JO & THE SAILOR’ is about a street smart, twelve year old con artist who is forced to fend for herself on the seedy streets of New Orleans. She plays a dangerous game of deception when she cons a stranger, bent on revenge with nothing to lose. Her web of lies untangles into the unexpected… the fatherly love that she had been missing.

LONG SYNOPSIS

‘SAINT JO & THE SAILOR’ is about a twelve year old street thief and con artist, named Jo. She lives with her prostitute mother, Angel, and her mother’s boyfriend, Remy, in a seedy section of New Orleans.

Tony, just released from a Louisiana prison, after ten years, shows up at Remy’s bar, unexpectedly. Jo watches a confrontation between the two men escalate. Intrigued by this mystery man, Jo is hopeful he might be someone her mother knows… maybe even her father.

Remy wants to know everything Tony is doing and has Jo follow him. She commits totally to uncover Tony’s secrets. On a lead, she takes a bus to a small fishing town, to find an old man, named Nelson. Through him, she learns that Tony and Remy were competing for the affection of his granddaughter, Amelia, and that Remy suffered public humiliation, when Amelia and Tony fell in love.

When Jo gets back, Remy wants to know about Tony. Angel shows interest as well, which triggers Remy’s rage. He hits her and rapes her, with Jo hiding in the room. Early the next morning, Angel packs her things, while Jo is sleeping, and without hesitation, leaves her to fend for herself.

Remy transfers his anger to Jo. With force, he makes her up to look like a prostitute. Jo’s survival instincts save her, but she needs to come up with a plan to avoid the evil that seems inevitable.

She throws herself into her biggest con yet, by convincing Tony that she’s his and Amelia’s daughter from that lost summer. When Tony wants to go find Amelia, Jo presses the lie and tells him that Amelia died giving birth to her.

Destroyed by the devastating news, Tony transfers his love to Jo. Their relationship forms a real father/daughter bond. Things seem great, until Tony learns the truth from Remy… that Amelia is indeed alive and that Jo is not their daughter. Jo makes one last effort to deceive Tony again. She tells him that she was trying to spare him, because Amelia had married and had her own family.

Unfinished business with Remy was now Tony’s only reason to stay in New Orleans. Revenge or restraint? And in spite of Jo having lied to him, Tony’s need to protect her, from her life of chaos and crime, makes him ask her if she wants to leave New Orleans, and start a new life with him.

Thrilled with such a possibility, but experiencing guilt for the first time, Jo risks everything by finally telling Tony the truth… that Amelia did not marry and never stopped loving him. Her confession gives Tony back his past.

LOOK, FEEL & SOUND

LOOK & FEEL - The approach to this project is two films in one. Present Day & Flashback. Using two distinct aspect ratios, film styles & color palettes.

NEW ORLEANS (present day) will be a sweaty, chaotic and claustrophobic environment. The cinemagraphic mood will emphasize the raw, human drama of everyday life - creating a portrait of will, strength and determination.

ASPECT RATIO - Widescreen 1.78:1

COLOR - The palette leans into deep, saturated greens and near black shadows, the kind of green that feels overgrown, humid, a little feral, cut through with sudden pops of red that flare up like warning signs. Against that backdrop, each character carries their own saturated accent color (oxblood, blue, amber, magenta), so they read as distinct, present, undeniably here.

(Saturated Green / Crushed Black / Red Pop)

LIGHTING - Saturated / Hard Light / Practical Lighting / Neon

CAMERA - All Steadi-Cam / Medium & Tight Shots / Off Balanced

BRIDGEWATER (flashback) will be dynamic and rich. The camera will be sweeping, with crane shots and light reflections. The lighting and design will take its cue from our beautiful landscape and infuse the light with magical realism - enveloping our characters in the universal language of love.

ASPECT RATIO - Anamorphic 2.39:1

COLOR - Memory softened at the edges, like a photograph left in the sun too long. The environment is analogous, yellows bleeding into greens, all pulled toward soft, dusty, desaturated tones that feel warm but faded, nostalgic without tipping into sentimental. Nothing here is as sharp or as saturated as the present; even the same characters who carry bold colors in NOLA show up muted and worn here, as if time hasn’t yet given them their full intensity. It should feel like something remembered rather than something happening.

(Soft Yellow / Soft Green)

LIGHTING - Desaturated / Soft Light / Backlit / Silhouettes

CAMERA - Traditional Camera Techniques / Wide Establishing Shots / Sweeping / Balanced

SOUND - In NEW ORLEANS (present day), music can change from one open doorway to the next, creating an emotional counterpoint to the images on screen. Rather than always reinforcing the mood, the music will often work in contrast to it, allowing moments of beauty to play against danger, humor against heartbreak and innocence against violence.

Jo’s musical theme will be less forgiving. I envision something like the band Galactic. A high energy modern funk, electronic, hip-hop vibe.

BRIDGEWATER (flashback) opens with the unmistakable sounds of Louisiana: Delta blues, Zydeco and Creole accordion ground the film in its roots. But once we introduce Tony to Amelia, the music will reflect her wild spirit, fears and desires. We will emphasis this with strong female artists. The music will be synchronized to her as we fall in love with her.

LOCATIONS

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

BRIDGEWATER, LOUISIANA

CHARACTERS

TONY

Male, 20s, also seen in his 30s. Quiet, strong, and steady, Tony has just been released after serving ten years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Hell-bent on revenge, he returns to New Orleans to confront Remy and reclaim the Alfa Romeo that was taken from him. The last thing he expects is Jo, a tough young girl who forces him to question everything.

In flashback, we meet a younger Tony, on leave from the Navy, he falls in love with Amelia, Remy’s high school crush. After Remy runs him off the road and framing him for a crime, he succeeds to steal the life they were meant to have. Through Jo, Tony finds a chance to let go of the revenge and get the family he thought he’d lost forever.

JO

Female, 10-12. Tough, scrappy and street-smart, Jo lives in a rundown New Orleans apartment with her prostitute mother and her abusive boyfriend, Remy. Growing up on Bourbon Street, she’s learned to survive by stealing and never trusting anyone. She’s been raised to believe she was an unwanted mistake and a burden from the day she was born.

When she meets Tony, the first truly kind person she’s ever known, she doesn’t know how to respond. As he offers her the love and stability of a real father, Jo slowly begins to believe that her life can be different.

REMY

Male, 20s, also seen in his 30s. Lean, unshaven, and always chasing his next hustle, Remy owns a small New Orleans bar and lives by his wits. He’s quick with the schemes and oddly likable, until his temper gets the better of him.

In flashback, Remy is a young man deeply in love with Amelia. When she falls for Tony instead, Remy’s jealousy leads him to frame Tony for a crime he didn’t commit, beginning his descent into the bitter, violent man he becomes.

ANGEL

Female, 28. Jo’s mother. An unusual, seductive creature, Angel survives by stripping and selling herself. She lives with the abusive boyfriend Remy, who uses Jo to steal for him. Angel never shields her daughter from the violence, crime, or chaos around them. Eventually, she’s had enough of both Remy and Jo and walks away, leaving her daughter behind without a second thought.

CECE

Female, 50s, also seen in her 60s. Remy’s mother. Kind, loyal, and long-suffering, Cece lives in the same run-down apartment building as her son and stands by him through years of decline.

In flashback, she encourages Remy to ask Amelia to marry him, only to realize too late that Amelia loves Tony. Cece carries the guilt of that mistake and the truth about the accident for the next ten years.

When Angel abandons Jo, Cece chooses to protect the girl instead of her son. By finally turning her back on Remy, she forces him to face how far he’s fallen.

NELSON

Male, 70s, also seen in his 80s. Amelia’s grandfather. Warm, wise, and full of life, Nelson is the heart of the Louisiana bayou. He sees the promise in Tony and Amelia’s love and wants more for Amelia than the life that trapped her mother. Hoping to help them build a future together, he gives Tony his prized Alfa Romeo, never imagining the gift will set a tragedy in motion.

AMELIA

Female, 22 years old, also seen in her 30s. Beautiful, wild, and raised in the Louisiana bayou, Amelia fears she’s destined to repeat her mother Grace’s unhappy life. Determined to escape, she begins to rebel, awakening something in both herself and her mother. When she falls in love with Tony, a young Navy man, she finally sees a future filled with hope.

But just as that future is within reach, Remy’s jealousy destroys it. He frames Tony for a crime he didn’t commit, shattering their dreams and forcing them apart for the next ten years.

OVERVIEW

GENERAL INFORMATION

TITLE: Saint Jo & the Sailor WRITTEN BY: Sean Doyle & Shannon Wilcox DIRECTOR: Sean Doyle

PRODUCERS: Molly Christie Benson | Joan Sullivan | Sean Doyle

POST-PRODUCTION: James Longeretta

MEDIUM: Feature Film FORMAT: Digital BUDGET: $500k

LOCATION: New Orleans, Louisiana POST PRODUCTION: TBD

TAX CREDITS

LOUISIANA

Louisiana's Motion Picture Production Program, statutorily known as Motion Picture Production Tax Credit, provides motion picture productions up to a 40% tax credit on total qualified in-state production expenditures, including resident and non-resident labor.

Provides up to a 40% tax credit (25% base credit; 10% increase for Louisiana screenplay productions, 5% increase if outside of the New Orleans Metro Statistical Area).
$50,000 minimum in-state expenditure requirement for Louisiana screenplay productions.
$300,000 minimum in-state expenditure requirement on all other eligible productions.
Tax credits may be used to offset personal or corporate income tax liability in Louisiana.
Tax credits may be transferred back to the State for 90% of face value (requires a 2% transfer fee which results in an 88% net).

PRE-INVESTMENT

The following companies are providing services as equity investment in this project:

VORTECHS | POST-PRODUCTION | WEBSITE

Vortechs is the industry leader in post-production solutions. Providing the latest in equipment, streamlined workflow consultations, personalized support and artistic space designed with your creativity in mind. Vortechs' credits include: ‘Star Wars’, ‘The Martian’, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, ‘Star Trek’ and many more.

THE FOUNDATION | FINISHING | WEBSITE

The Foundation is a new post house in Burbank started by Technicolor veterans, Gareth Cook and Clifton Dugan, in partnership with New York based Sixteen19 and Los Angeles’ Vortechs. Cook is managing partner and senior colorist and Dugan is managing partner and head of business development. Other hires include Director of Engineering John Stevens and Technical Director Dan Aguilar.

The Foundation prides itself on operating as a boutique facility, offering their clients a new and more powerful way to streamline the process. Other offerings include, offline rentals, dailies, online editing, color-correction, VFX, titling and delivery for broadcast, OTT, music videos, commercials and feature film. The Foundation's credits include: ABC's ‘The Real O'Neals’, the CW's ‘iZombie’, and Fox's ‘Shots Fired’.

WATERMAN SOUND | SOUND FINISHING | WEBSITE

Waterman Sound is dedicated to providing superior work throughout the life of all projects, with a leadership team who brings a unique mix of experience including facility management, mix supervision and client service. Our principle team members have over 20 years of post experience with Emmy award winning programming, and our first priority is to ensure your projects are delivered with the highest quality.

TEAM

SEAN DOYLE | WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

Sean Doyle is a writer, director, and producer with a career spanning television, commercials, post-production, and independent film. He began at Carson Productions, working with president and showrunner Ed. Weinberger on television series including Amen, Dear John, and Mr. President.

As MTV transformed visual storytelling, Sean shifted his focus to commercial production, joining director Peter O’Fallon and producer Norman Reiss at Cucoloris Films before moving with them to Crossroads Films. During a decade there, he helped produce award-winning campaigns for brands including BMW, Pepsi International, and Nike, collaborating with acclaimed directors such as Mark Pellington and Nick Lewin while embracing emerging filmmaking technologies.

In 2006, Sean founded FILMops Entertainment to develop and direct his own projects. His feature directorial debut, ‘Ready or Not’, went on to earn both Best Comedy and Best Film at the Mammoth Film Festival in 2009.

In 2015, Sean partnered with Pete Conlin and James Longeretta to launch The Foundation, a high-end post-production finishing boutique serving the film and television industry.

Following the passing of his mother, Sean spent the last two years as a music tour manager, traveling throughout North America and Europe with independent bands. Being on the road renewed his love of storytelling, people and life.

Sean is now focused on producing and directing his next feature film, ‘Saint Jo & the Sailor’, with production planned for 2027.

MOLLY CHRISTIE BENSON & JOAN SULLIVAN | PRODUCERS

Molly Christie Benson & Joan Sullivan are Executive Producers at 8750 Films. They have overseen several film productions, including Transpecos (SXSW Audience Award winner starring Gabriel Luna), 7 Chinese Brothers (SXSW starring Jason Schwartzman), It’s a Disaster (LAFF starring David Cross), Hot Seat (Sundance), and the Sundance Episodic Lab pilot The Grown Ups.

Since launching her career at the Telluride Film Festival. Molly has also produced countless high-profile promos, commercials, and music videos, and currently serves as Executive Producer/Creative Director of 99 Tigers, a creative services agency.

In addition to film development, Joan is concurrently the consulting Head of Production and CFO/COO for numerous boutique production companies specializing in TV shows, digital content, network promos, and broadcast TV commercials.

MARYANN BRANDON, ACE | ADVISOR

Maryann Brandon earned an Emmy Award nomination for her editing work on the popular television series ‘Alias’, created by J.J. Abrams. She has since edited all of Abrams’ films. Brandon worked with Abrams on ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’, which she received an Oscar nomination for Best Film Editing. Brandon is currently working with director Morten Tyldum on ‘Passengers’, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt.

JAMES LONGERETTA | POST-PRODUCTION

James Longeretta is a veteran post-production executive and entrepreneur, with more than two decades of experience serving the film and television industry. As the founding partner of Vortechs, he has helped establish one of the industry’s leading providers of post-production solutions, supporting major studio productions including Star Wars, The Martian, Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Trek.

In addition to Vortechs, James is a founding partner of The Foundation, a boutique finishing facility specializing in high-end color, editorial, VFX, sound, and delivery services. He is also a partner in Waterman Sound, an award-winning sound finishing company known for delivering exceptional audio post-production for film and television.

Known for his hands-on approach and meticulous attention to detail, James has built a reputation for combining cutting-edge technology with personalized creative support. Beyond his work in post-production, he has long championed independent filmmakers by providing equipment, facilities, mentorship, and industry resources to help bring ambitious projects to life.