Myles Berkowitz' concept calls for a cast of thousands and a crew of volunteers. He wants to make a movie about the intrepid fans of the Cincinnati Bengals, but he has neither a backer nor a budget.

        Like Blanche DuBois, Berkowitz is depending on the kindness of strangers. Like Andy Hardy, he proposes that the locals produce their own show. Over the next year, the audacious director of 20 Dates will be soliciting Bengals fans for homemade video he hopes to distill as a full-length film.

        The working title of Berkowitz proposed “docu-comedy” is soP, Internet shorthand for “son of Paul.” The reference, of course, is to Bengals owner Mike Brown. Think of it as a
chance to vent for posterity.

        “Unfortunately, the Bengals have replaced the Cubs as the punchline for national comedians,” Berkowitz said Friday afternoon. “I think it would be a very interesting and universal sports story and an interesting psychological study to look at the fans of this franchise and why they keep rooting for this team.”

Fans as stars

        Independent filmmakers are typically long on ideas and short on investors. Berkowitz' brainstorm is to use his target audience as his talent, telling a story through America's funniest football videos, containing his own costs by preying on Cincinnati's enduring passion for expensive frustration.

        “This is going to democratize movies,” Berkowitz promised.

        This promises to be a hoot.

        Berkowitz was inspired by his Internet interaction with David Frey, whose grass-roots entrepreneurial efforts spawned SaveTheBengals.com. Frey's Web site now operates primarily as a clearinghouse for information on the movie project, including how to frame shots on your camcorder so they can survive the transfer to film.

        “We want you to video your family and friends talking about the Bengals,” the Web site instructs aspiring Steve Sabols. “We want you to shoot yourselves at Bengal games. We want to see you at home watching the games. We want to see your family Bengal ritual. We want to hear your views about the team. We want to see your kids, and how they are affected by the Bengals. (Unfortunately, camcorders are not allowed in Paul Brown Stadium).”

Brown as villain

        Berkowitz hopes to interview Mike Brown but says he has no intention of stalking him. That idea has already been done (Michael Moore's Roger & Me), and no director wants his work dismissed as “derivative.”

        Berkowitz would prefer to borrow from Shakespeare. He sees Mike Brown as a tragic figure whose story echoes that of Richard II.

        “He's not a popular figure,” Berkowitz said. “He's basically nice and likeable, but because of his own weakness and vanity he's in prison.”

        Few Bengals fans view Brown so benignly. He is more commonly cast as Shylock, forever demanding a pound of flesh from a city he has skinned repeatedly.

        Berkowitz, a native New Yorker, claims a long-standing allegiance to the Bengals and hopes his film captures the team's turnaround. His expectation, however, is more of the same.

        The basic problem with the Bengals is that every season is a sequel.

        E-mail tsullivan@enquirer.com. Past columns at Enquirer.com/columns/sullivan.

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