Yet in Provincetown as the tourist population dwindles, the creative juices flow more easily without the immediate demands of commerce.   Provincetown has always been an unusual seaside community, mostly known for its lively nightlife, vibrant art scene, great shopping and restaurants, as well as the creative artistic types who live alongside the few remaining Portuguese fisherman.

So perhaps it is not surprising that some of these enterprising, creative people would develop a fictional video series about what goes on in Provincetown off season.   Nathan Butera is the creator and director of a nine episode series entitled “OFFSEASON” that is currently being filmed in Provincetown.

Butera, an NYU graduate with a degree in film directing, decided that instead of moving back to New York after a stay in Provincetown, he would take charge of his own career and use the talent, natural beauty and sheer kookiness of the town and create an off-beat video series that captures what makes this place such a special and interesting place to live and visit.

The filmmaker has assembled a cast of a dozen characters, using both full and part time residents. Braunwynn Jackett, a third generation Provincetown native, plays a general contractor, while part-timer Alexandra Foucard, a Broadway actress, depicts a yoga teacher. Other characters include a female selectman, a Portuguese fisherman, a hairdresser, a Latino business owner, a vegetable lady at the local Stop & Shop, a builder, a female ship captain and an evangelical soul saver.

Episodes were shot in local shops, restaurants, a fishing boat, some of Provincetown’s more upscale homes and even the produce department of the Stop & Shop Supermarket. Local artists and celebrities have cameo appearances and there is ample footage of the natural beauty that makes Provincetown such a scenic wonderland to visitors.

Butera was lucky enough to have Jake Fink as his roommate. Fink, a perfectionist and talented and experienced videographer (and another refugee from the New York rat race), has taken on the yeoman’s task of ensuring that the captured footage is of first class quality, enabling the series to be shown on cable and, if lightening strikes, the networks.

One of the greatest hurdles facing a producer is raising sufficient capital to get something “in the can.” Despite working with an unpaid cast and paying the videographer a miserly amount, money was still needed.   Butera’s research led him to indiegogo.com that helps match interesting, creative projects with potential donors.  

To date, Butera has raised over $12,000 of the $22,000 bare bones budget he needs to complete all nine episode. His biggest challenge was to find an editor who can take all the raw footage and (with Butera’s input) make it the kind of production that would attract viewer attention. With fingers crossed, he thinks he has found a friend of a friend willing to do the job.

Anyone interested in helping support this artistic and creative enterprise can contact the producer directly - see the information below.   As, the Provincetown Community Compact is OFFSEASON’s fiscal sponsor all donations are tax deductible.

Details:

OFFSEASON

OFFSEASON Producers, 10 Central Street, Provincetown, MA 02657.

OFFSEASONPTOWN@gmail.com

All images appear courtesy of OFFSEASON.