Author: Zoe Forster
Mike Angelo ’14, founding partner of Causeway Comedy Productions, is currently traveling to 6 cities in the next 10 days. The LA-based startup indie production company is hoping to crowdfund for a comedy series called The Brother Guys, a TV show that features two haplessly charming brothers who constantly strive to impress their wolfishly entrepreneurial father on their quest to self-fulfillment.
Accompanying Mike are founding partners Frank DeRosa (Boston College ’13), co-creator of the show, and Alex Foxen (Boston College ’13). Bruno Seros-Ulloa (Cornell ’15) is co-star of the show.
Mike’s passion for comedy started young. “I’ve been making ridiculous videos since I was eight and got a LegoMovie Making Kit for Christmas,” Mike said. “I really started to love it when my teachers would let me film and show videos for projects throughout high school.”
During his time at Cornell, Mike spent a year in charge of Cornellious.com, a comedy website that made him famous around campus for his comedic entertainment. But Mike knew he wanted to take his comedy beyond Cornell. During his sophomore and junior years, given the opportunity through Cornell in Hollywood, he traveled to Los Angeles – a popular destination for those who want to pursue a career in the entertainment business. There, Mike was able to further develop his career in the film industry by working at Lineage Interactive, a sports marketing firm in Beverly Hills, where he edited videos for clients such as Carmelo Anthony and Henrik Lundqvist. It was when Mike returned to Cornell to apply his new skills to different campus projects that he met his future co-star, Bruno; the two instantly became friends, bonding over their shared passion for comedy and making people laugh.
Still, when Mike found himself in a cap and gown two years later, he wasn’t quite sure how to make his next move. He knew exactly what he wanted to do but didn’t know how to get there.
After years of writing and playing ridiculous characters (most of which featured wigs and abrasive attitudes), Mike realized that his own character was crazy enough to base a show around. In his mind, this was an idea that would be more relatable to audiences.
The comedy series is currently trying to acquire funding through Speed&Spark, a crowdfunding platform that allows filmmakers to build their audience during any stage of the project. Mike hopes to build a following that will not only help him financially, but one that will also help him distribute the series to a number of digital retail platforms partnered with Speed&Spark – such as Amazon, Netflix and Hulu. The production company is also negotiating with potential corporate sponsors for product placement deals, including companies in the medical marijuana industry.
If you happen to be getting turnt at Loco on Monday, April 13, consider buying a bracelet for two free drinks to contribute to the campaign.
