EVERY 20 MINUTES

Help Bring the Untold Story of an Empire to the Screen

A film by Tony Owens | NEWGOTE FILMS

1. My Story: Why I’m Making This Film

My name is Tony Owens. I’m a first-time screenwriter from Maryland, born in Washington, D.C., and I’m taking a major step toward turning a dream into reality.

For me, EVERY 20 MINUTES is more than a film. It’s a story I’ve carried in my imagination and worked hard to develop into something I can share with the world. Now, I’m ready to take the next step: bringing these characters, their struggles, their relationships, and their world to life on screen.

I chose this project because I believe some of the most compelling stories come from complicated people living in complicated times. Stories about ambition, loyalty, love, survival, and the price we sometimes pay for success.

Set in Washington, D.C., in 1978, EVERY 20 MINUTES explores a world where business, street politics, family, and danger collide. At the center is Pretty Tony, a man who has built an empire by understanding what people want and what they are missing in their lives.

But underneath the money, the power, and the business is something much more human: the desire to belong, to be loved, to protect the people closest to you, and to hold on to everything you’ve worked for.

As a writer, I want to tell stories that entertain people while giving them something to think about long after the screen goes dark.

I also want to prove to myself that being a first-time screenwriter doesn’t mean I have to wait for someone else to believe in my vision before I begin pursuing it.

I’m taking that first step now.

I’m building this project one piece at a time, and I’m inviting you to be part of it.

2. What Is EVERY 20 MINUTES About?

Washington, D.C., 1978. An empire is rising, but everything Tony loves is at risk.

Pretty Tony has built a lucrative, carefully organized telephone-dispatch operation that sells more than a service. It sells attention, companionship, and the feeling of being wanted.

Through his operation and Georgia’s nightclub, Tony has created a world where business and personal relationships are deeply connected. He provides opportunities for the people around him, protects his inner circle, and tries to keep his growing empire under control.

But success comes with enemies.

A dangerous street rival wants his position back. A corrupt federal agent threatens to expose Tony’s operation. And as pressure closes in, Tony discovers that protecting his business may mean making impossible decisions about the people he loves.

His younger brother, Zo, has his own ideas about loyalty, revenge, and what it takes to survive. Their bond is powerful, but their differences threaten to pull them in opposite directions.

Meanwhile, the emotional heart of Tony’s operation lies in the human connections it creates. The hotline isn’t simply about selling sex. It sells a form of intimacy that lonely men long for — a chance to feel heard, desired, and less alone.

That emotional dimension is what makes this story different. Behind every call is a human need. Behind every business decision is a personal cost.

With danger approaching from every direction, Tony must think quickly, protect his family, and decide what matters most before time runs out.

EVERY 20 MINUTES is a crime drama with heart, suspense, romance, and a strong sense of place. It explores what happens when the empire you build becomes the very thing that threatens to destroy you.

3. What I Hope to Accomplish

My immediate goal is to produce a compelling short film that introduces audiences to the world of EVERY 20 MINUTES .

I want viewers to experience the atmosphere of 1970s Washington, D.C., the tension surrounding Tony’s operation, the relationship between Tony and Zo, and the emotional stakes that make this story more than a crime drama.

I want to demonstrate that this story has the characters, cinematic potential, and emotional depth to grow beyond a short film.

The short will serve as a proof of concept — a finished piece of filmmaking that I can use to introduce the project to producers, production companies, potential collaborators, and future supporters.

My long-term vision is to develop EVERY 20 MINUTES into a larger feature-film production.

Every great project starts somewhere. For this one, it starts with the short film.

I’m not asking you to believe that the entire journey has already been completed. I’m asking you to believe in the potential of what we’re building and help me take the first major step.

4. Why I Need Your Support

Making a film takes more than a good script and a strong vision. It takes a team, equipment, locations, sound, lighting, costumes, editing, and countless hours of work behind the scenes.

As an independent filmmaker at the beginning of my journey, I need help turning the words on the page into a professional production.

Crowdfunding gives me the opportunity to bring people together around a shared creative goal. Instead of waiting for the perfect opportunity to arrive, I can begin building the resources needed to make this film happen.

Your contribution will help cover essential production expenses, including:

• Production and crew: Compensating key cast and crew members where possible and helping cover production labor.
• Locations and set dressing: Creating the atmosphere of 1978 Washington, D.C., through carefully selected interiors, props, and period details.
• Camera, lighting, and sound: Securing the equipment needed to capture the story professionally.
• Wardrobe and production design: Establishing the look and feel of the era without wasting money on unnecessary expenses.
• Post-production: Editing, sound design, color correction, music, and other finishing work.
• Marketing and delivery: Creating promotional materials and preparing the completed short for screenings, submissions, and industry presentations.
• Crowdfunding rewards and fees: Covering applicable platform fees, payment-processing costs, and the cost of fulfilling supporter rewards.
• Background performers: Helping cover the production needs of supporters who participate as extras, including scheduling, wardrobe coordination, meals, transportation, and other on-set requirements.

I’m committed to making thoughtful production decisions. By focusing on interiors, close-ups, selective period details, and efficient locations, I can create the atmosphere this story needs without spending money simply to make the production look bigger than it is.

Every dollar will help move the project closer to the screen.

5. How You Become Part of the Story

I don’t want supporters to feel like they’re standing on the outside looking in.

I want you to feel that you helped open the door.

When you support EVERY 20 MINUTES , you’re helping an independent writer take a story from the page into production. You’re helping create opportunities for the people who will bring the characters to life. You’re helping preserve the atmosphere of a particular time and place through an original film.

Most importantly, you’re helping give this project a chance to be seen.

Special Opportunity: The First 50 Supporters Can Appear in the Film

To thank the first people who believe in EVERY 20 MINUTES , the first 50 supporters who contribute to the campaign will have the opportunity to appear in the film as background extras.

This is your chance to step onto the set and become part of the world of 1978 Washington, D.C. You may appear in a nightclub, street, business, or other background scene, depending on the needs of the production.

Participation as an extra is subject to availability, scheduling, location requirements, production needs, and any applicable release forms. Supporters must be able to meet the filming schedule and transportation requirements. Appearance is not guaranteed in the final edit, since scenes may be changed or removed during production, but every effort will be made to include eligible participants in the completed film.

This opportunity is available to the first 50 qualifying supporters only and does not guarantee speaking lines, a featured role, payment, travel reimbursement, or creative control over the film. Additional details, including filming dates, locations, wardrobe requirements, and release forms, will be provided to eligible supporters before production.

I want to share the journey with you — the preparation, the creative decisions, the challenges, the breakthroughs, and the moments when the story begins to come alive.

Depending on your chosen reward, you may receive production updates, behind-the-scenes photographs, a digital copy of the completed short when available, a special thank-you in the credits, an invitation to a private online screening, or the opportunity to appear as a background extra if you are among the first 50 qualifying supporters.

I also want to hear from the people supporting this journey. I’ll share updates and invite supporters to participate in selected conversations about the film’s development, where practical. Your ideas may help inform our conversations, even though the final creative decisions will remain with the filmmaking team.

This is how independent films grow: one story, one team, and one community at a time.

You may not be holding the camera or standing on set, but your contribution can help make the shot possible — and, for the first 50 supporters, you may even be part of the shot.

6. Supporter Rewards: Join the Movement

Every contribution matters. Whether you can give a few dollars or make a larger contribution, you are helping move this project forward.

Here are the rewards I’m proposing for supporters:

$10 — The First Believer

You’re one of the people helping get this project off the ground.

You’ll receive a personal digital thank-you and access to campaign updates about the film’s journey.

$25 — The Insider

Come behind the scenes as the project develops.

You’ll receive the First Believer rewards, plus a digital production update featuring selected behind-the-scenes material, concept art, or production photographs as they become available.

$50 — The Founding Supporter

Your support helps us move closer to production.

You’ll receive the previous rewards, plus a special digital supporter certificate recognizing your contribution to the making of EVERY 20 MINUTES .

$100 — The Executive Circle

Become part of the community helping bring this vision to life.

You’ll receive the previous rewards, plus a special thank-you credit in the completed film, subject to the final credit structure and your permission to publish your chosen name.

$250 — The Producer’s Circle

For supporters who want to make a significant contribution to independent filmmaking.

You’ll receive the previous rewards, plus an invitation to a private online behind-the-scenes conversation about the project and its production journey.

$500 — The Visionary

Your contribution will help support multiple aspects of the production.

You’ll receive the previous rewards, plus recognition in a dedicated digital supporter acknowledgment and an invitation to a virtual Q&A with the filmmaker, subject to scheduling.

$1,000 — The Founding Partner

This is for someone who wants to make a substantial contribution to helping EVERY 20 MINUTES reach the screen.

You’ll receive the previous rewards, plus prominent acknowledgment on the campaign’s supporter page and a personal virtual conversation with the filmmaker about the film’s development.

All rewards are subject to the final production schedule, platform rules, and fulfillment costs. Any credit, screening, digital-film, or background-extra reward will be confirmed before the campaign launches.

The opportunity to appear as an extra is limited to the first 50 qualifying supporters and is subject to scheduling, location, production requirements, release forms, and final editing decisions.

These contributions do not automatically confer ownership, profit participation, or creative control over the film. Any separate investment or producer agreement would need to be discussed and documented independently.

7. My Promise to Supporters

I believe that when people contribute their hard-earned money to a creative project, they deserve honesty, respect, and communication.

I will do my best to keep supporters informed about the progress of EVERY 20 MINUTES , including important milestones, production developments, and challenges that could affect the schedule.

Film production can be unpredictable, and I won’t promise that every stage will go perfectly. What I can promise is that I will approach this project with commitment, make responsible decisions with the resources available, and communicate meaningful updates as the journey progresses.

For supporters who qualify for the background-extra opportunity, I will provide information about scheduling, location, wardrobe, transportation, release forms, and other production requirements as soon as those details are confirmed.

Your support is not something I take lightly.

I want you to be able to look back at the finished film and say, “I helped make that happen.”

8. The Final Invitation

Every filmmaker has a moment when a dream has to become a decision.

For me, that moment is now.

I’ve developed the story. I’ve worked to shape the characters and the world they inhabit. Now I need the resources and the community to help me bring EVERY 20 MINUTES to life.

Maybe you’ve always wanted to support an independent film. Maybe you believe in giving first-time filmmakers a chance. Maybe the story of ambition, family, loyalty, love, and survival speaks to you.

Or maybe you want the opportunity to step onto a film set and become part of the world you helped create. The first 50 supporters will have the chance to appear in the film as background extras, subject to production requirements and scheduling.

Whatever brings you here, I’m glad you found this project.

You don’t have to contribute a large amount to make a difference. You can donate, share this campaign, tell a friend, or help spread the word to someone who loves independent cinema.

Every share can introduce the project to a new supporter. Every contribution can help pay for a piece of the production. Every person who believes in the vision can help us get closer to the finish line.

I’m Tony Owens, and this is the beginning of my journey to bring EVERY 20 MINUTES to the screen.

Help me tell this story. Help me make this film. Become part of the journey — and, if you’re one of the first 50 supporters, become part of the film.

Let’s bring EVERY 20 MINUTES to life — together.

Thank you for believing in independent filmmaking.