Docu-style Special Released
The producers of the multi-Emmy Award winning series After Forever will release a documentary-style special “Riley’s Unforgettable School Project” on December 30, 2020 on Amazon Prime Video. This episode centers around the character Riley (Finn Douglas) who, while attending school remotely due to COVID-19, is tasked with creating a project about the most unforgettable person he’s ever met. Riley chooses Jason (Mitchell Anderson) and enlists friends and family, to share why they think Jason was so unforgettable.
The special was shot remotely throughout the Fall of 2020 while the country continued the battle against COVID-19. Producer/Director Allison Vanore said, “We knew we couldn’t film Season 3 as intended, with integrity, and we certainly didn’t want to put anyone at risk. In the meantime, we’re thrilled we could do something creative to keep our After Forever family and fans engaged.” The producers plan to resume production on Season 3 once it’s safe to do so in late 2021.
Song: “Forever There”
The special also debuts Finn Douglas’ song: “Forever There” which he wrote and performed. Kevin Spirtas shared, “Michael [Slade] and I have always been a fan of Finn’s musical talents and Finn so embodies the character that we thought it would be great to give him an opportunity to write a song for the special. We couldn’t be more thrilled with the result.”
‘After Forever’ Cast
The cast includes familiar faces from the series: Kevin Spirtas (2019 & 2020 Emmy Winner), Mitchell Anderson (2019 Emmy Nominee), David Dean Bottrell, Erin Cherry (2019 Emmy Winner), Finn Douglas, Anita Gillette (2019 Emmy Nominee), Christopher J. Hanke, Cady Huffman (2019 & 2020 Emmy Nominee), Peter Y. Kim, Robert Emmet Lunney, Jonathan Rayson, Jamison Stern, Lenny Wolpe (2020 Emmy Nominee), and new to the cast, Alma Cuervo.
Award-Winning Series
After Forever is the recipient of 6 Daytime Emmys including Outstanding Digital Drama Series, Outstanding Writing for a Digital Drama Series, Outstanding Directing of a Digital Drama Series, Outstanding Actor in a Digital Drama Series, and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Digital Drama Series. To date, After Forever is the most Emmy-awarded LGBTQ-themed drama series on any platform.
Seasons 1 & 2 were both nominated for the Writer’s Guild of America award for Original Short Form New Media. The series has received rave reviews for telling the rarely seen story of vibrant, active, diverse “grown-up” gay men… a group who, like women, tend to disappear from television and film once they are no longer 20- or 30-something, not returning until they are elderly and non-sexual. It also received kudos for its unflinching honesty in dealing with loss, while still maintaining a sense of humor and of hope for the future, and its ability to touch a wide audience.
After Forever: Riley’s Unforgettable School Project was Executive Produced by series creators, the late Michael Slade, Kevin Spirtas, and Produced & Directed by Allison Vanore. The special was Executive Produced by Laura Z. Barket, F. Robb Caster, Drew Desky, Dane Levens, Arnold R. Spirtas, Sandra T. Spirtas, Allan D. Rich, Lawrence S. Rich, Wil J. Jackson, Dr. Kenneth Kaplan, and Co-Executive Produced by Gary DiMauro, Matthew P. Hui, Jim Kierstead, Alan D. Marks, Barbara Marks, Julie Michaels, and Sydney Myer.