Anchorage, AK – For more than 20 years, filmmakers Bob Curtis-Johnson and Peter “Whiskey” Sheffer have worked together to create cultural documentaries exploring everything from the jazz cabarets of Greenwich Village, New York to Iñupiat whaling in Utqiagvik, Alaska. They follow their passions, searching for authentic voices to tell these overlooked stories. Their next project is deeply personal, but it’s being pitched in an extremely public way – as an Indiegogo campaign.
This teaser video introduces the producers and subjects of “LRDC: The Rumble Cats of Badsville” to potential investors on Indiegogo.
In El Monte, California – as a reaction to increasing street violence, a history of broken homes, and the rise of gang culture in the ’90s – a group of young Latinos found a common bond in their love of the rockabilly scene, and founded a tight-knit social club of friends and community that soon became family.
“LRDC: The Rumble Cats of Badsville” is a documentary tracing the colorful history of the club and delving into the nostalgic culture of brotherhood, style, fashion, music, cars, Latin influences, and roots Americana that defines its growing membership worldwide. The Rumble Cats have 12 chapters in four countries; “Whiskey” Pete is a member, which is one reason why this project resonates so personally with the filmmakers.
The primary title logo and variations for the documentary, “LRDC: The Rumble Cats of Badsville.”
Bob and Peter approached Mad Dog to help them create a title logo for the film, one that captured the internal energy of The Rumble Cats, referenced the ’50s aesthetic so integral to the group’s culture, celebrated the most visible public accessories of this self-professed “drinking club with a car problem,” and – importantly – was cool enough to be embraced by club members and to be used on merch to attract investors on Indiegogo.
The producers’ business cards feature multiple lockups of the logo, and the second side presents black and white stills from the initial footage to promote the upcoming film.
The LRDC logo is based on the silhouette of a classic 1959 Mercury Park Lane Two-Door Convertable Cruiser. Black and white keep the logo timeless (and gray is the official color of the club,) and an occasional blast of red highlights the Mercury’s giant lensed tail fins and keeps things interesting. Although the club boasts many pristine restorations at its car shows, the logo is a little bit gritty, to reflect the club’s roots in the streets of East LA.
Production tee shirts featuring the title logo are among the perks offered to investors on Indiegogo.
Mad Dog developed a brand guide early on to ensure that visuals are kept as consistent as possible.
Indiegogo investor perks include production tee shirts and dvds of the completed film, but higher investor levels also offer film credits and even an associate producer credit.
To learn more about the film project, visit lrdcmovie.com or the Indiegogo project page.