The ultimate road trip from Wisconsin to California hauling the highly sought after HAPPY COW products. Mike and Kurt, the Happy Cow, rumble through 2,200+ miles of countryside sharing their love with displaced Sconnies. Hilarity ensues.
- The happiest cow in California is from Wisconsin -
Go West Happy Cow is an independent, feature-length mockumentary, inspired by the lack of out-of-state distribution of New Glarus Brewing Company’s award-winning Spotted Cow Beer and the Wisconsin-born filmmakers’ general annoyance with California’s “Happy Cow” ad campaign.
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Director, Tyler Knowles, and Producer, Derek Hildebrandt (P.G.A.), both alumni of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, sat down and created a lighthearted road trip movie about friendship, cows, and Wisconsin lifestyle.
Shooting began on a chilly and stormy autumn morning in Madison, Wisconsin and was completed eight days later on a warm and sunny day in Los Angeles, California. In that span, the seven crew members, all with ties to Wisconsin, traveled over 2,500 miles, through ten states, and officially stopped in seven cities to throw Happy Cow themed parties for hundreds of displaced “Sconnies.”
From the filmmakers: We filmed Go West Happy Cow on two high-def Panasonic cameras, recorded a 28-piece orchestra for portions of our original score, bartered for song rights for our killer soundtrack, and received generous product donations from several Wisconsin companies. The final result proudly showcases the collaborative process of our team’s hard work and the fun we had with displaced Sconnies along the way. Plus, 10% of any GWHC sales are being donated directly to the Greater Bucky Open, which benefits the American Family Children’s Hospital. GO WEST HAPPY COW!
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Awesome! Looking forward to watching it again. Missed a few lines because of the crowd's ongoing laughter.
A funny look into Midwestern culture - a film that truly encompasses the feeling of being a Midwestern refugee in the Western United States.
I thoroughly enjoyed the mooooovie. It was witty and a dose of good fun!
Beyond impressed! Kurt is one funny dude that I would like to have a beer with. Mike plays a great friend and some damn funny lines himself. Superb flick.
Very funny! Made me proud to be a transplant Sconnie!
I enjoyed the hell out of it!
I completely cracked up.
“I had the pleasure of watching Go West Happy Cow the other day and found the film fun and entertaining. It is the kind of personal filmmaking that gives us a chance to laugh at ourselves and show off the skill of the filmmakers at the same time. There is a ‘you are there,’ improvisational quality that allows the film to walk the line between entertainment and documentary, while all the while remaining lighthearted and never taking itself too seriously. We enjoy the ride, pull for the characters and feel as if we’re on the truck delivering the Happy Cow across the country.” – James Hirsch (Producer, Writer, Film Professor)
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