Dan Meyer – Director, Writer, Producer, Actor
Dan Meyer makes his directorial debut with Bulls, a film born from a screenplay he wrote himself and shaped around the people and places he knows best. A Michigan City resident and Indiana University alum, Meyer set out to create a movie he and his acting friends could star in, drawing inspiration from years spent playing darts together and turning those shared moments into a story rooted firmly in his hometown.
“I started to think of it as an opportunity to really do something different and not just shoot it here but actually set it in Michigan City. I wanted it to be in my hometown and have some local people, musicians, and businesses in it because I just find it to be a cool, interesting place,” said Meyer. “I think most people have a certain idea of what Indiana is and that’s probably mostly farmers and farms, but that’s not all. We have this beautiful beach, a beautiful lakefront, and we have a really interesting and diverse community. This is a chance to show that Indiana’s more than what most people think it is.”
Bulls follows two down-on-their-luck half-brothers running a failing Indiana bar who stumble into an unlikely shot at glory when they enter the World Darts Championship, despite being terrible players to begin with. Under the guidance of an eccentric barfly-turned-coach, they train, stumble, and ultimately find themselves buoyed by the support of their community
Meyer wasn’t content just to write and direct; he also produced and appears in the movie, wearing multiple hats like the passionate indie filmmaker he is. The cast includes T.J. Jagodowski, Matthew Trudeau, Meir Steinberg, and actor/producer Michael Shannon, among others.
The film’s production leaned into its local identity. Locations, talent, and even everyday citizens of Michigan City helped bring the project to life, making the movie as much a community endeavor as it is a comedic underdog story.
Beneath the laughs and quirky premise, Bulls is deeply rooted in themes Meyer knows well: hope, friendship, belonging, and the power of a tight-knit community. His choice to set the story in a small town — to use real people, places, and the spirit of his own home — reflects an artist who sees cinema as a way to celebrate real lives and real connections, not just to entertain.
The seed for Bulls was planted over 20 years before it was filmed. Inspired by the indie film Swingers and his own friendships around a dartboard, Meyer wrote the script long before he had the opportunity to make it. During those years, he continued to work on various creative projects, refining his voice and building the experience that would inform Bulls.
All of this experience — writing, producing, acting, and navigating different creative ecosystems — fed into the moment when Meyer finally brought Bulls to life in his hometown. It wasn’t a sudden emergence but rather the culmination of decades of creative persistence and diverse artistic work.
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