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DONNY

SENSITIVE JOHNSON PRODUCTIONS - as PROD

Black comedy - Development 2025

Donny is a dark comedy about a frustrated comedian who ends his own life. His suicide takes a strange turn when his spirit possesses a ventriloquist puppet. He goes on a journey to free his soul from that purgatory and discovers his family, his value, and his path to redemption.

- Year of production
- 2025
- Genres
- Black comedy, Road movie, Comedy
- Countries
- USA
- Writer(s)
- Chris VALENTI
- Synopsis
- Donny is a dark comedy about a frustrated comedian who ends his own life. His suicide takes a strange turn when his spirit possesses a ventriloquist puppet. He goes on a journey to free his soul from that purgatory and discovers his family, his value, and his path to redemption.
  
  THEMES AND CONCEPTS
  George commits suicide because of his enormous self-loathing. But now he is something he despised even more, a ventriloquist dummy.
  He must figure out how to get out of this thing and continue ending his life.
  To his further dismay, he is stuck with a needy, talentless ventriloquist whom he detests. This amateur is his only path to freeing himself from this world.
  Ultimately, he will need to learn that he can redeem himself. He can atone for those he discarded in life. And he can still love himself.
  It’s never too late for redemption.
  
  THE TRANSFORMATION
  After George commits suicide, he believes he is experiencing an out-of-body experience that must be typical of dying. He waits for his soul to float upwards. He looks around the room. Cracks some jokes about his former body. He feels great and is enjoying the moment, until he sees movement in a mirror and realizes he is the puppet.
  He screams for help. A person rushes in and sees the dangling corpse –and the talking puppet. The sight of a talking doll causes the person to have a heart attack and drop dead.
  A second person rushes in. Sees both the dangling stiff and the other body on the floor. The puppet tries to explain, but the second person also suffers a panic attack and drops dead.
  When a third person arrives, the puppet keeps his trap shut.
  He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but he does need help.
  
  George/Donny
  George had a semi successful comedy career. He played in many comedy clubs throughout the country and even was featured on a few TV shows. Most of this happened in his early 30s. Unfortunately, he lived to 67. Due to his perceived failures, he genuinely despised his life.
  So, he killed himself. But his soul is now in a puppet. He goes on a journey of discovery about his life and learns HE MUST MAKE AMENDS for the mistakes he made so his soul can move on.
  
  Vinnie
  Vinnie is a bit of a lost soul himself. Raised by a single mom, he never knew his father and never developed much confidence. His closest friends were his dolls. His struggle for acceptance led him to ventriloquism. As hard as he tries, he is GOD-AWFUL. But with George’s soul in his puppet, life is about to change for the better.
  The power he suddenly has over George is seductive, and destructive. It goes to his head. When his self worth drops, he finds himself similarly suicidal. Vinnie is also on a journey to learn to love himself.
  
  The characters are bound together by necessity.
  George needs Vinnie as a caretaker to physically carry him through his journey.
  Vinnie needs George as the brains behind his suddenly successful comedy act.
  But they discover they are pulled together for a deeper reason ... because they are father and son.