The first months of Covid were a unique moment in time. Talented actors, writers and directors isolated at home, climbing the walls, aching to be creative, saw an opportunity to be useful. Together, we produced scripted one-act comedies over Zoom to benefit The Actors Fund in a period of great need.
Viral Vignettes is a comedy about ALL of us - at a time when we all locked down. Produced in the early days of the pandemic, this is a once-in-a-millenium snapshot of what we were going through - even as we were living through it. Poignant AND funny.
VIRAL VIGNETTES OFFICIAL TRAILER
Click a poster to watch the film
Do you remember the first days of the pandemic?
We know what you’re thinking: who the hell wants to?
Viral Vignettes is a film that has its origins in that early, confusing time. The entertainment industry had basically shut down, except for a few living room concerts and bathroom comedy sets. Almost no scripted content was being produced.
So a bunch of your favorite TV, film and theater actors decided to stop sitting at home and climbing the walls, and do something.
Actors like Barry Bostwick (Rocky Horror Picture Show, Spin City), Don Most (Ralph on Happy Days), Audrey Landers (Dallas), Robert Wuhl (Batman, Arli$$), John Schneider (Dukes of Hazzard, Smallville), Linda Purl (The Office, Happy Days), Renée Taylor (The Nanny), Mary Chieffo (Star Trek Discovery), Marion Ross (Happy Days) Maxwell Gail Jr. (Barney Miller, General Hospital), Fred Melamed (WandaVision, Impeachment) and others all came on board.
We used what we had – smartphones, computers and a new thing called Zoom. We worked with writers and directors to produce a series of original, one-act plays to benefit the Actors Fund.
Together, we created VIRAL VIGNETTES– Twelve one-act comedies that introduced us to 21 unique characters – stuck at home during the pandemic, trying to make sense of an unprecedented situation. A once-in-a-lifetime snapshot, capturing that period in all of its strangeness and unexpected humor.
These short films were presented for a limited time on YouTube as a fund-raiser for THE ACTORS FUND.
Now, so that these critically acclaimed plays can get the attention they deserve, we’re submitting Viral Vignettes to film festivals in three separate formats:
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As a web-series as they were originally presented in their limited YouTube run.
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As individual short, stand-alone films, with their own titles, posters and trailers
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As a feature-length film, recut for an even wider audience.
As we mentioned, Viral Vignettes has been all-volunteer. Everyone has contributed their time and talent.