Picnicface’s big break

Little in Roller Town. Photo supplied by the AFF.

Roller Town opens to sold out audiences at the AFF

For many Haligonians, Roller Town was once just a pipe dream, a random movie-trailer parody posted on YouTube by local hot-shot comedy troupe, Picnicface. But this year’s Atlantic Film Festival (AFF) proved us all wrong when their long-awaited feature length film opened the festival to sold out shows.

Cheryl Hann, one of the two female group members, said “It hit me when we heard we’d be opening the AFF. I had always known it would eventually become a real movie, but I wasn’t sure if anyone would actually see it. Least of all a room full of our closest friends.”

Roller Town is more than just an extended Picnicface sketch though, boasting interweaving plots, real characters who shoot off one-liners like it’s their job and scored by the incomparable Rich Aucoin. The gang never fails at getting a laugh, whether it’s through their clever use of word play or their signature “lets-just-throw-something-random-in-here” attitude.

Written primarily by Andy Bush, Mark Little and Scott Vrooman, Vrooman says they managed to “squeeze some [improv] in here and there, and some of those moments are in the film.” The whole group can be seen in the movie along with a bunch of invited actors and local fans in the background.

The story revolves around Little’s character, Leo. When asked about his experience playing a leading man, Little claims he’s a “second banana type. I like being the idiot who gets to mess around and doesn’t have to carry the story.” Fans might disagree though, as he carries the plot effortlessly through all its ridiculous twists and turns.

If you didn’t get a chance to see the movie at the AFF, hold on tight as they have yet to figure out where fans can get a hold of it in the future. Mark would like for it to “be available for everyone everywhere” but until then, fans will have to tune into their new show premiering on the Comedy Network this September.

“I think we’re giving the editors in Toronto heart problems because every day we want to try something completely different with the footage,” says Little. “There are lots of special effects, musical remixes, stock footage fuck-arounds.”

As for the future, Hann is hopeful. “I definitely foresee more Picnicface projects in the future. We all love what we do (…) We’re obviously hoping for a second season of the show, and there are some other screenplays bouncing around, so this won’t be the last you see of us. I apologize in advance to your eyes.”