FILM UNITES ‘QUITTERS’
Dormont man who won’t give up makes a movie about quitters
Eric Chapman loves movies. So much so, the Dormont native went to New York City to study acting after graduation from Keystone Oaks High School in 1988. When it was clear acting was not going to work out (”I just never caught on; I couldn’t handle the rejection, the auditioning process, all that”), he began to write screenplays, one or two a year for 15 years.
“And every one I thought, ‘This is the one that will get sold,’” he said. “Or at least, optioned and get into the production pipeline. My only goal was to make a living as a screenwriter — me, and a million other people,” he added with a laugh.
Approaching his 40th birthday, Mr. Chapman decided if no one wanted to make movies from his screenplays, he would do it himself. That comedy, “Craig Quits His Day Job,” is currently available on Amazon Prime video. Mr. Chapman is hopeful he can get wider big-screen distribution in Pittsburgh.
“It’s never going to be huge success, but really, all I want is if I could just get Pittsburghers to rally behind it. It’s a blue collar film, and it does showcase a lot of locations Pittsburghers would be curious about.”
“Craig Quits His Day Job” has a quirky narrative that defies convention. Its protagonist, Craig, is an Every Man schlub who finally decides he’s had enough of pushing a pencil at some faceless, utilitarian company.
Partly inspired by Mike Judge’s 1999 cult hit, “Office Space,” and exhibiting go-with-the-flow shades of Richard Linklater’s “Slacker,” “Craig Quits” is a 90-minute ramble through the life of a decent but aimless guy. His postemployment adventures involve discovering how strange/wonderful his life is, now that he has time to notice.
Odd characters come and go, alternately helping and frustrating Craig, played by Lawrenceville stand-up comedian Garrett Titlebaum. The