Bitcoin Pioneer Charlie Shrem Explores Expanding Into Film In Big Way

Bitcoin mogul Charlie Shrem, one of the pioneers and evangelists of the biggest cryptocurrency by market cap, is backing his first venture in film, and plans to do more.

Shrem’s first project as an executive producer is Ask Me to Dance, a romantic comedy that stars Briana Evigan (Step Up), Mario Cantone (Sex and The City), Joyce DeWitt (Three’s Company), and Tom Malloy (Love N’ Dancing). It’s shooting now in Rochester, New York, with Malloy as the writer/director of the Trick Candle Productions feature.

Jason Chambers (Human Weapon), Julianne Arrieta (Reagan), Courtney Warner (The Instant Messenger), Jesse Kove (Cobra Kai), Catherine Mary Stewart (Weekend at Bernies), and Kurt Angle (former WWE Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist) are also on board.

Shrem discovered bitcoin as a college senior. He went on to found BitInstant, a service that provided an easy way to convert money into bitcoin. It grew to provide an estimated 30 percent of all bitcoin transactions at one point.

After some legal issues involving money transmission, which led to a short prison sentence, Shrem emerged and began to climb back. He engaged as an advisor in a number of cryptocurrency ventures and more recently launched a podcast and website.

“Two years ago, I started my podcast Untold Stories, and realized that I loved media,” Shrem said. “Ask Me to Dance is my first non-crypto project. I hope to bring the same passion and talent from the bitcoin space into film.”

Shrem sees others following his path. “There’s a huge crossover between film, new media and finance. A lot of those that have found their fortunes in crypto will seek to do things where they can express their creativity and make money at the same time.”

A Florida resident, Shrem said he plans on spending “a quarter of the year in Los Angeles” as he ramps up his film endeavors.

In the film, Malloy and Evigan portray Jack and Jill, two unlucky-in-love people who have been searching for their soulmates in all the wrong places. When a fortune teller informs them separately that they will meet the love of their life before New Year’s – only five days away – a dating frenzy begins as both go from one comical and chaotic date to another. As the year wanes to its close, their desperation increases.

Shrem and Sean King are the project’s EPs, with Ron Newcomb (Rise of the Fellowship) and Michelle Alexandria (#Screamers) as producers. XYZ Films is handling US sales, with Glass House Distribution handling foreign.