Brandon Tamburri wrote and directed his first film, “Plan B,” using locations in Mount Laurel and the area. It stars Jon Heder (right), known for his role in “Napoleon Dynamite.”
Filmmaker Brandon Tamburri was born and raised in Mount Laurel, and his debut film, “Plan B,” brought him back to his township roots.
The 30-year-old writer and director attended Hartford Elementary and Harrington Middle schools before graduating from Holy Cross Prep in 2012. Throughout his adolescence, Tamburri constantly filmed short comedies with those around him.
“I always really enjoyed film, filmmaking, specifically comedy,” he said. “Growing up, I always had a video camera and would make these short films with friends and neighborhood kids.”
Tamburri noted that actor Adam Sandler’s 1996 film, “Happy Gilmore,” inspired his sense of humor.
“I loved Adam Sandler movies growing up,” he recalled. “So I’d definitely say his earlier movies had an influence on me for sure.”
Tamburri went on to get a bachelor’s in business and film from St. Joseph’s University, and while there, founded a sports marketing and memorabilia company that he later sold. After college, Tamburri immediately began working for NFL Films – a hometown legend in broadcasting – where he gained experience by working in a video production environment that combined two of his passions: film and football.
“I worked on various NFL football documentaries and things like that,” Tamburri noted. “But I always was more interested in (working on) feature films.”
Tamburri’s filmmaking aspirations led him to PalmStar Media, a Philadelphia-based independent production and finance company focused on film and television content. It has produced more than 40 films, including the first two “John Wick” outings, and the 2018 horror film, “Hereditary,” for which Tamburri was credited as an associate producer.
“I was initially hired as an assistant at PalmStar, and over the course of – close to five years – I worked my way up,” Tamburri recounted.
Initially an assistant to the film’s lead producer, Tamburri’s work on “Hereditary” evolved into the associate producer role, with tasks that ranged from providing notes on the script and early cuts of the film, to opening insurance polices for the production.
PalmStar purchased National Lampoon Inc. in 2017, acquiring assets that included the latter’s library of content and trademark. Through 2020, Tamburri directed and produced several projects for National Lampoon – of whom he’s a fan – including the “National Lampoon Radio Hour.”
“Working with National Lampoon, I was able to direct and produce a comedy special,” Tamburri said, “a sketch comedy series and a few other comedic content pieces.”
As a result of COVID, National Lampoon shifted its business model to focus more on podcasts and digital content.
“I wasn’t super-interested in that stuff,” Tamburri acknowledged. “Once that happened, I at least knew in my head that I wanted to leave and start my own production company, where I could focus on my own projects.”
That happened in 2020, and Tamburri went on to found Joke Zero, an entertainment company that produces comedic content. While his new venture specializes in feature films, Tamburri recently launched a podcast network and plans to expand into television, live shows and talent management.
“(The name Joke Zero) was just something that was easy to say,” he explained, “easy to remember, and something you can tell is related to comedy.”
“Plan B” started as a script Tamburri wrote with his friend, Jean S. Monpère, while at National Lampoon, and it became Joke Zero’s inaugural feature film. Released in theaters on Sept. 27, “Plan B” is a rom-com – or romantic comedy – the synopsis for which reads, “When a woman’s one-night stand with her awkward neighbor leaves her pregnant and desperate for solutions, she sets out on a wild mission to seduce a charming businessman.”
“(The concept and story for “Plan B”) was in my head for about two years,” Tamburri remembered. “It took (Monpère) and I around eight months to write the screenplay. We weren’t working on it full time; we would write on nights and weekends since we were both still working full-time jobs then. From there, it was probably another four years until I actually filmed the movie, and there were countless rewrites and tweaks (to the script) over those four years.”
But Tamburri used his knowledge and experience in business to secure funding for the film.
“At PalmStar, they financed all the movies that they made,” Tamburri pointed out. “So that’s really where I learned most of my knowledge, from something like ‘Hereditary.’ PalmStar produced and also fully financed it.”
Once funding for “Plan B” was secured, Tamburri went to work for award-winning producer and development executive DJ Dodd. With more than a decade of entertainment industry experience, the Philadelphia-based Dodd was able to help Tamburri cast his film.
“Plan B” stars Jamie Lee (of HBO’s “Crashing”), Jon Heder (“Napoleon Dynamite”), Tom Berenger (“Platoon”), Shannon Elizabeth (“American Pie”), Kate Flannery (“The Office”), NFL’s Vernon Davis, Michael Lombardi (FX’s “Rescue Me”), Subhah Agarwal (comedian) and Daniel K. Isaac (Showtime’s “Billions”).
“Plan B” was filmed entirely in Burlington and Camden counties, with a good amount in Mount Laurel. The film is currently available to buy or rent on most streaming platforms.
Visit jokezero.com to listen to Tamburri’s new podcast of filmmaking tips as well as interviews with the cast of “Plan B.”
