RARE BONES follows a charismatic man from Vermont named Bob, and his relentlessly supportive family, who together are successfully battling Hardcastle's Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder in which a broken bone can quickly mean death. As the father of one of only five families in the world known to be affected by the cancer, and with just a five-year life expectancy once it’s active, Bob lives each day with growing uncertainty. But even after losing his leg to the cancer, and undergoing emergency open heart surgery, Bob refuses to accept his fate, and instead willingly puts himself in harm's way through dangerous activities like demolition derby, and driving tow trucks for his own company, called “Hop-to-It Towing.” 

RARE BONES investigates the stories and struggles Bob and family have gone through and reconstructs their painful journey. With the help of Dr. John Martignetti and Dr. Henry DeGroot, and the usage of advanced animation and visual effects, this film will accurately and artistically illustrate Hardcastle's Syndrome.

Although the film is an inspirational story of a family dealing with this rare form of cancer, it’s everything in between that makes this film even more unique. The towing business often leaves Bob on busy nighttime streets making one-legged leaps onto his flatbed to avoid dangerous drivers. Then there are the people - “glorious absence of sophistication,” is how Bob proudly describes country living in Vermont - people living off the grid who have to ride a bicycle to make their TV work, who all carry guns, and who seem to live their lives with a kind of freedom which is unique to their neck of the woods.

[ VISUAL STRATEGY ]

Aesthetic:

Bob, his family, the town of Rutland, and it’s culture, are closely intertwined. Together, they emit warmth and texture. They are colorful, humorous, and filled with life. The color tone of RARE BONE will be saturated and soft to match this environment. Warm colors like reds, browns, and yellows will be used. Texture will hopefully add to this concept through snow filled streets and the cold metal of Bobs tow trucks. Creativity will be used when shooting through unusual compositions and complex shots.

Technical Note:

RARE BONES will be shot in HD with Canon HF S100’s using Letus Mini 35mm lens adaptors with manual Nikon lenses. Sound will be recorded with wireless Lectrosonics lavalieres and Sennheiser boom mics. The use of steady cams, jibs, and dollies may also be used. George will be editing using Final Cut Pro and visual Effects will be done using Adobe After Effects. Some Visual Effects may be outsourced.