Filmmaker Adam William Ward started outlining and writing his comedy series “Bad Advice” while in the COVID-19 bubble in late 2020.
The seven-episode series, which premieres next weekend in Hermosa Beach, is about a group of friends enjoying the South Bay’s sun and surf while dating and trying to make ends meet.
Ward, a Redondo Beach resident, enlisted his brother Charlie Ward, who lives in Hermosa Beach, and roommate Stephen Schaffold, to costar as the “dim witted” guys” who hatch schemes to pay the bills while a wacky landlord comes constantly in and out of their lives.
The principal cast lives locally and most of the episodes were shot in the South Bay. There are 100 locations in the episodes that were shot from March 2021 through March 2022.
“I would say 80% to 90% of the shows were shot here, from the beaches to the cliff sides of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, to restaurants,” Ward said.
Audiences will be able to see the first four episodes of “Bad Advice” at a free screening on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 6:30 p.m. at the Hermosa Beach Community Theatre. An after party is at Vista, at 11 Pier Ave., following the screening.
Ward said it was important his cast and crew see their work on the big screen.
“I want to give their dues to them,” he said.
Ward has done other film work including the TV show pilots “Three Guys and a Couch” in 2011 and “Parole Officers” in 2013, as well as the 2018 feature film, also shot in the South Bay, “Wally Got Wasted.”
In “Bad Advice,” Ward, who wrote, starred, produced, directed and edited the series, said he wanted a four lead show. Jordon, the character he plays, is the straight guy, he said, who holds everything together. Jordon is surrounded by “crazy or neurotic characters.”
Charlie Ward, who had cameos in his brother’s other films, plays Brad, a “himbo,” an attractive but not too bright man, said Adam of the character. Brad is a struggling actor who surfs — mostly on other people’s couches.
“He’s a never-really-grew-up Spicoli type of character,” said Charlie, referring to the iconic stoner character in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” played by Sean Penn.
Schaffold, who had one line in “Wally Got Wasted,” plays the neurotic Greg, a “lovable loser” who is constantly finding himself in compromising situations after getting bad advice.
“I’m a pretty calm guy in my day-to-day life, but this character goes to those really heightened places where just the neuroses is kind of like overtaking,” Schaffold said.
Charlie and Schaffold have had acting experiences in the past.
When he moved to Los Angeles in 2001, Charlie went to film school and planned to make acting a career. But, he found it almost impossible to get a break.
“Then the city kind of eats you up, so you find ways to make money,” said Charlie. In his case, he is now a creative executive in advertising at Paramount Studios.
Schaffold started acting when he was in college at NYU in the early 2000s. He moved to L.A. to act, but then “some life events happened” and he started pursing a different path. He is now a manger at a nonprofit that provides services to individuals with disabilities.
Both came out of their acting retirements to help Adam with “Bad Advice.”
“I really didn’t think I was going to do it again, like it was a once upon a time kind of thing,” Schaffold said. “Adam said, ‘Do you want to do this show?’ I said, ‘Okay, yeah why not? Let’s do it.’”
Adam knew acting was something he wanted to pursue early in life.
The Ward brothers grew up in Bucks County, PA, just outside of Philadelphia.
Adam caught the acting bug in high school and then studied film at Hawaii Pacific University. He went on to study at the acting studio Baron Brown Studio in Santa Monica.
The filmmaker started auditioning for as many projects as possible and acted in 11 short films in 2009.
Adam was then the lead in three feature films in 2010, and had a part in “The Last Act,” which was released in 2012. He met Ronald Quigley, who plays Dallas the landlord in “Bad Advice,” when Quigley was the director and acted in “The Last Act.’
Charlie called his brother Adam an amazing director.
“He wears a lot of hats, but he’s got like a great sense of how to communicate to an actor,” Charlie said of his brother.
Charlie added he was a bit intimidated acting in his brother’s series.
“It was like learning how to talk, it was a process,” said Charlie. “But he always made me feel really comfortable.”
With a short filming shoot, Charlie and the rest of the cast had to not only learn their characters and their lines quickly.
“You had to immediately know how your character would speak and interact with the other characters,” Charlie said.
Adam said they would shoot for three days and then have four days off, but during those days off, he would be finding the next locations and casting the other actors.
Adam said there are about 100 cast members in the series.
Adam said he was grateful local businesses allowed him to use their locations in the seven episodes. These included Dominique’s Kitchen, Panelas Brazilian Cuisine and Beach Cities Cafe in Redondo Beach, and Manhattan Pizzeria in Manhattan Beach.
Adam added the second episode was shot in the Manhattan Beach home of Jolie and Jason Schlossberg.
“They let me take over their house for nine days and they didn’t even know me,” Adam said. “The kindest in this community was so amazing, so helpful.”
The beach and surfboards appear prominently in “Bad Advice” even though you never see characters surf.
“What it pretty much boils down to is we can’t surf,” Adam said. “So there’s a lot of scenes with us walking with the surfboards, talking, setting up an episode.”
But Adam added the idea of the characters being surfers came after he wrote the show. It was done as a way to show off the South Bay in the best way.
“I wanted it to be funny and sunny and fun and just feel good when you watch it,” Adam said.
The filmmaker wanted someone watching in Kansas City, for example, to get a feel for the area through the surf and sun and to feel its warmth.
“And that’s the goal,” said Adam, “Is to make people laugh and feel good.”
The sale of popcorn and other items will be donated to the Renman Foundation, a charity that benefits the youth of Haiti. Donations can only be accepted in cash since they will not have a credit card machine available.
For more information on the series, follow Adam on social media @adamwilliamward or visit imdb.com/title/tt15133332.