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ZERØ SUM captures the behind-the-scenes journey of a documentary on the rise, fall,

and comeback of cryptocurrencies.

Poster for the show 'Zero Sum' featuring two men, one older and one young, standing in front of a fiery cityscape with stacks of chips and poker tables in the foreground. The tagline reads, 'A thrilling exploration of the risks and rewards of the digital age.'

Zero Sum follows the journey of a college drop-out who becomes fixated on striking it rich in the volatile world of cryptocurrencies. Alongside his cousin, they set out to make a documentary about those who have made fortunes in the crypto industry.

Their innocent project takes a dangerous turn when they become entangled in a high- stakes game of market volatility, fraudulent organizations and government regulators.

We began shooting a documentary about the origin and evolution of cryptocurrencies.

The interviews conducted with individuals who engaged in mysterious crypto transactions revealed

an alluring world full of potential fortunes.

As the documentary unfolded, it stirred curiosity amongst our team, leading a member of our crew to

secretly move the funds for the documentary into a crypto bank,

in hopes of generating enough returns to “make a better movie.”

However, fate took an unexpected turn and our funds got locked up during a market downturn.

Tensions among the crew caused a falling out that was caught on camera, shifting the focus of the documentary to

what took place behind-the-scenes during its making.

The film unveils a story that exposes the crypto realm and the intricate human dynamics at play.

  • The image features a black background with the words "ZERO SUM" written in red, centered in the middle of the image.

  • Close-up of two men with serious expressions, facing opposite directions, with a dark cityscape background.

  • A film or television production set with camera equipment, crew members, and actors or presenters in a studio.

  • An elderly man with a long gray beard and hair sitting at a bar with a serious expression, dim lighting, and wooden interior.

ZERO SUM follows an amateur filmmaker…

torn between honoring his commitment to produce a documentary, funded by friends and family, or

risk their investment in the volatile cryptocurrency market to make a better movie.

  • We embarked on a journey to make a documentary about the evolution of Bitcoin and we ended up stranded in Mexico without enough funds to finish the shooting the project.

    The events lead to a falling out between the documentary crew, which was caught on camera.

    We decided to shoot an explanation of what had happened in hopes of raising funds to complete the documentary to include the behind the scenes of what took place.
    A series of twists and turns lead us to meeting interesting people along the way, allowing us to raise additional financing to complete the documentary.

    ZERO SUM is about the making of a documentary about the rise and fall of cryptocurrencies.

  • We first shared the idea of making a documentary at Thanksgiving, but it was quickly shut down. The only lead we had was our former weed dealer, who used to charge us in Bitcoin ATM deposits in the early days of Bitcoin and the illegal online marketplace “The Silk Road”. The story later took us to a beach in Mexico.

  • Our former weed dealer wasn´t living the life we were hoping to document, so he put us in touch with people who were indeed, living the life. A few charming individuals later and we were deciding on whether to invest in risky cryptocurrency protocols or moving our US DOLLARS (FIAT) to online crypto banks. We ended up getting our funds locked up in an online crypto bank that promised great returns but turned out to be a ponzi that filed for Chapter 11.

  • We think it´s fair to say that the cryptocurrency market is enticing and can generate a strong dose of FOMO (fear of missing out) on the next opportunity. One could argue that our case of FOMO became strong enough to land us in the predicament of having our funds locked up. The documentary touches on what has been dubbed as “The Crypto Contagion” ranging from the downfall of the crypto market caused by a domino effect of major crypto exchanges and banks.

GETTING STARTED

Decentralizing the film production process involves community engagement to decide on important decisions.

Explore the film project, watch the teaser and rate the first batch of mock posters for ZERO SUM.

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THE STORY

  • THE IDEA

    We shared an idea to shoot a documentary at thanksgiving dinner. It didn’t go down very well.

    A family dinner scene at night with seven people sitting at a long table with candles, wine glasses, and plates of food, inside a well-lit room with windows and blinds.

  • THE SETUP

    We prepared to find and interview our old weed dealer, who used to charged us for weed in Bitcoin.

    Two men setting up cameras and equipment in a cozy room with books, photos, and framed artwork on the walls, preparing for a video shoot or interview.

  • Locked and Loaded

    We set out to find and interview people who made fortunes in crypto. All fun and games until someone lost our funds.

    Two men in black jackets holding professional video cameras, standing on a busy city street at night with bright neon signs and city lights in the background.

  • CALM BEFORE THE STORM

    Our former weed dealer took a different path after prison. His story wasn’t what we expected.

    A person standing in a room filled with illuminated glass tanks containing various plants, resembling a bio-dome or miniature rainforest exhibit.

  • A TURN OF EVENTS

    We ended up in Mexico, documenting stories of people in crypto. They had stories.

    Filmmakers on a beach at sunset with a camera, crew members, and a director or actor.

  • TEMPTATION

    People in Mexico were making moves to increase their wealth in creative ways.

    A shirtless man with a cowboy hat and necklace standing in front of photographers, outdoors at dusk.

  • ACCLIMATING

    Went in with a Bachelors in Marijuana, came out with a Doctorate in Investment Management.

    Two men smiling and laughing at a beachside bar or restaurant, sitting at a wooden table with drinks and food, surrounded by palm trees and thatched umbrellas, with a sandy beach and ocean in the background.

  • FUN AND GAMES

    Finding a life-work balance wasn´t just attainable, it was the norm. We decided to jump in.

    A group of people on a beach during sunset, with one person standing in the back of a parked off-road vehicle with arms raised, and others standing nearby, with the ocean waves in the background.

  • A NEW WORLD

    A night we will never forget. If you haven´t been to a party in a cenote, you should.

    A man with dark, curly hair and a mustache, wearing a dark jacket and light shirt, stands inside a dimly lit, atmospheric room filled with candles and hanging glass orbs. He is in profile, touching his chin thoughtfully, with a lush, green environment and stone steps in the background.

  • THE EXPANSION

    Our documentary began catching fire as the cryptocurrency market was heating up.

  • A FALLING OUT

    The funds we had to complete our documentary got locked in a crypto bank.

    Two men angrily arguing in a kitchen filled with food and dishes on a wooden table.

  • KEEPING THE FOCUS

    Two of us believed that ¨The show must go on¨. We had a debt to pay and a movie to finish.

    Two men sitting in orange leather chairs in an electronics store, with aisles of audio equipment and store signs visible in the background.

  • CONFESSIONS

    We realized that we had become part of the story in our documentary.

    Two young men in suits sitting on a brown leather couch in a room with film equipment and a camera in the background.

  • SALVATION

    We decided to shoot a quick retelling of the story to raise additional funds.

    People working on a movie set at night with vintage cars and neon lights in an outdoor parking lot.

  • Redemption

    Embark on the last segment of this journey together with us, as it happens.

    Sign that says 'You Are Here' with a white circle and black text on a black background.
ink-in-water.jpg
A bearded man with gray hair in a dimly lit bar or restaurant, sitting at the counter, with the text "Zero Sum" above his head and "The Teaser" below. The lighting is warm with some hanging lights in the background.

An urban cowboy tells the tale.

Beneath the fun and games, the film reveals a Father-Son dynamic ,

where the son seeks to validate his worth to his accomplished father,

allowing the audience to gain deeper insight into the main characters inner worlds and motivations.

ABOUT US

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. 

The Players

  • The Filmmakers

    Two cousins got together to make the documentary that lead us down this rabbit hole.

    Two men standing on a city street at night holding professional filming equipment, with blurred city lights and people in the background.

  • THE FATHER

    The kinda of father we all know, a successful man who´s a tough cookie to crack.

    People sitting at a dinner table with lit candles and glasses of wine, indoors at night

  • The CInematographer

    “No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist.”

    A man with curly black hair and a mustache, wearing yellow-tinted glasses, a red shirt with a dragon design, pink checkered pants, and black and white sneakers. He is standing with hands on hips in front of a colorful wall decorated with numerous cartoonish smiley face flowers in various colors.

  • Director´s Dad

    Description goes here

  • THE UNCLE

    Description goes here

  • CHRIS

    Description goes here

  • A possible savior

    Description goes here
    A man in a black suit with an orange shirt standing next to an orange vintage car, with a video camera on a tripod nearby.
  • Black background with the words 'ZERO SUM' in bold red letters in the center.

  • Close-up of three men's faces in profile, appearing serious, with one older man and two younger men, set against a dark, rainy city background.

  • A behind-the-scenes view of a film or television production set with crew members working around cameras and equipment, and a group of people standing near a table with electronic devices in a studio with harsh backlighting.

  • An elderly man with long gray hair and a beard sitting alone at a bar in a dimly lit pub, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression.