The Luckiest Fool on Earth is an independent coming of age comedy directed by Alec and Jacob Rosinski. The film tells the story of Matthew, a shy 16 year old boy from rural Maryland whose life is upended as his parasocial obsession with Tyler Goon, a live-stream YouTuber who has challenged himself to sit on a flagpole for 500 days, reaches a surreal fever pitch.
Principal photography will take place in Carroll County, Maryland with limited dates in Philadelphia, PA. Production will be divided into 4 week long blocks spread throughout 2026 and 2027. The first block is scheduled for July of 2026 and covers all scenes of Tyler Goon at the top of the flagpole, utilizing a hybrid approach of green screen and practical techniques to convincingly place him high above the ground, overlooking the Philadelphia skyline. This block is budgeted at $20,000, which will be raised using a small number of private donations. The footage from this block will be used to launch a public crowdfunding campaign with a goal of $40,000, building excitement and attracting additional large contributors. The remaining blocks are scheduled for February, May and October of 2027, with post production work taking place during gap periods. The final cut will be delivered in March of 2028. The project is targeted to screen at SXSW and the Toronto International Film Festival, specifically their midnight programming blocks. The team will also target festivals that specialize in the absurd, such as Fantasia, Fantastic Fest, and Slamdance. Following the festival run, the filmmakers aim to partner with a distributor that champions director-driven indies, such as Oscilloscope Laboratories or Music Box Films to secure a limited theatrical release.
