About
Plot
The Life Is Just A Game web series tells the story of Tommy Delniros, a delusional former NYPD officer. His inability to differentiate between his fantasy world of gritty, lawless 1970s New York and the present-day reality has already gotten him kicked off the force, but even more trouble comes his way when he begins a private investigation of Earl Grey, a young English aristocrat meddling with gangs across New York City.
The History of Life Is Just A Game
A still from the original Life Is Just A Game (2003)
The story of Life Is Just A Game began in 2000, soon after director Oliver Irving entered film school in Bournemouth, England. Together with childhood friend and fellow musician Joe Hastings, he was inspired to make a film trailer to the track “Life Is Just A Game” by jazz musician Stanley Clarke.
They had so much fun working on the trailer that Oliver decided to create a movie to accompany it. He enlisted Joe, along with film school classmate Mike Pearce and hometown friend Johnny White, to star in the action-comedy feature that was filled with 1970s and early 80s film references. The original Life Is Just A Game was filmed in the gaps between classes, at night, and on the weekends. The ambitious 55-minute film was completed in 2003 and distributed in limited edition on DVD.
Following film school, Oliver went to make his first feature film, How to Be, a dramatic comedy starring Robert Pattinson, Mike Pearce and Johnny White, for which Joe Hastings composed an original score. Though the original Life Is Just A Game team was again working together, that project was a thing of the past as the success of How to Be took up much of their time.
The Return of Life Is Just A Game
Mitch Levine (Captain Levine) and Oliver Irving rehearse a scene for Life Is Just A Game (August 2009)
The idea of Life Is Just A Game was revived in early 2009 while Oliver, Joe, Mike and Johnny were traveling across the U.S. on a screening tour of How to Be. Together for the first time since How to Be wrapped in 2007, the group talked about the fun they had working on films in the past. Looking for something immediate and fun they could work on together between long-term independent projects, they decided to re-explore Mike Pearce’s character through a new serial comedy edition of Life Is Just A Game that transported the original premise to an iconic
New York City setting.
Oliver made his way to New York where he teamed with Duffy Higgins and A76 Productions to bring Life Is Just A Game back as an online comedy series. Original cast members Mike Pearce, Johnny White and Joe Hastings are joined by New York personalities DJ Kiss Taylor and comedian Paul W. Downs, and Greek actress Tonia Sotiropoulou. Pilot episodes were filmed in London and New York City in August, and premiered online in the fall of 2009.
About Oliver Irving
Johnny White, Mike Pearce, Joe Hastings and Oliver Irving participate in a Q&A session following a U.S. Tour screening of How To Be (April 2009)
Director Oliver Irving fell in love with movies at the age of four when he saw Ghostbusters at the cinema, and he has been making films ever since. His debut feature, How To Be, stars Robert Pattinson and was released earlier this year. The film is a wry comedy that examines the increasingly common phenomena of grown-up children living at home, frustrated creativity and self-help. Originally from Sheffield, England, Oliver now spends his time in London and New York City, where he is developing his next feature film.
About Duffy Higgins/A76 Productions
A76 Productions and its founder, producer Duffy Higgins, are anything but ordinary. Duffy challenges the standard practice of conventional business and opts for out-of-the-box ideas that lead to dynamic results for his clientele. Since its inception in 2006, A76 continues to have awesome success producing fresh, distinct television commercials, music videos, film shorts and advertising campaigns in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London and everywhere in between. The A76 client base includes high-profile brands, celebrities, photographers, directors and creatives including T-Pain, Kanye West, Venus Williams, Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb, Bobby Flay, The Sounds, Spike Mendelsohn, David Wright, Pepsi, Verizon, NBC, MTV, Asics and Harley Davidson. Experience and tireless capabilities allow A76 to guide its clientele in all areas from development through post-production while consistently maintaining high standards for preparation and close attention to detail. The company prides itself on producing every project at top-shelf quality in order to bring each client’s vision to life. Duffy Higgins originally hails from Miami, FL and currently calls New York City home. For more info, visit www.A76productions.com
