- December 22, 2008
Conception
While visiting family in Wisconsin over the holidays, Los Angeles-based filmmaker Tyler Knowles shares a dream with his family: to bring Spotted Cow beer to the Wisconsin alumni community in Los Angeles, some 2,000 miles away. He decides it would also be fun to document the road trip. His dad, Jack, likes the idea and pledges $10k to make it possible. A low-budget movie idea is conceived.
- February 2, 2009
Enter Derek, Superstar Producer
Tyler connects with fellow Wisconsin Badger and friend, Derek Hildebrandt, and shares a few details via email, "Plans are still 'brewing' but I've got potentially $10,000 and I could use a good producer for connections and some of the planning and logistics. Its working title is 'The Spotted Cow Goes to California.'"
Derek is immediately on board: "We must talk."
- A Vision Takes Shape
Derek and Tyler meet up to discuss the project further. Derek has outlined a storyline and timeline. He presents the idea of Kurt Jensen and Ryan Lake acting as the main characters and conducting a Spotted Cow promotional tour, culminating at the Underground Pub and Grill in Hermosa Beach, CA. It’s decided to change the name to “Go West Spotted Cow.”
Dates are suggested, encompassing the Greater Bucky Open, a Badger football game in Madison, and ending with a Badger football viewing party in Los Angeles, on October 3.
February 6, 2009 - Refinement
Emails, phone calls, and meetings keep the ball rolling, and the initial movie outline is continually updated with new ideas. A dream team begins to be assembled. Transportation choices, partners, and advertisers are explored. The first draft of a letter to New Glarus Brewing is exchanged. It won’t be delivered for three more months.
February 14, 2009 - Support Materials
Derek and Tyler meet at Derek’s place. Cold Spotted Cows are consumed from Packers glasses. Cheese is also passed around.
A website and some graphics are tested. The website includes information on the road trip and tour stops, the movie, and features a blog and media content. The guys plan to network with Wisconsin connections along the route and utilize the website, social media, and various new technologies to promote the tour stops as well as the movie (when it's completed).
March 29, 2009 - Power Meeting
Derek flies back to Wisconsin and has a power meeting with his sister and dad to discuss all things mooovie and pitching the brewery. The idea of having Bucky Badger hand-deliver movie materials to the brewery was conceived during this meeting. Bios are revised, and a letter and sizzle reel are finalized to prepare for the meeting.
May 11, 2009 - THE Brewmaster
Bucky is unable to leave campus to go with Derek to New Glarus. Derek shaves, combs his hair, and gets dressed up to go to New Glarus Brewing and present material for “Go West Spotted Cow.” He buys a twelve-pack and some Spotted Cow gear from Marissa at the brewery store and ends up meeting with Dan Carey, THE brewmaster himself. Meeting is a success. Now, Dan has to run it by his wife and owner of the brewery, Deb.
May 13, 2009 - Collaborative Endeavors
Troy Vosseller, co-founder of Sconnie Nation and a UW classmate of Tyler's, agrees to throw his company’s support behind the movie and provide a wardrobe for the film’s characters. "This is the coolest f**king idea I've heard in a long time - I'm in."
An official letter to the cast and crew, inviting them to join the adventure, is distributed, starting with, "We would like to formally invite you along for an adventure of epic proportions."
May 19, 2009
