No Kidding Around: A film by Robert M. Herzog
Three ordinary school days—alive with humor, connection, and innocence—are shattered by gun violence. In the aftermath, the familiar chorus of thoughts, prayers, and deflection reveals a tragedy that has become disturbingly routine.
ABOUT THE FILM
What should be unthinkable has become routine. No Kidding Around begins with three ordinary school days. A grade-school father and daughter share a small morning ritual. Two middle-school friends argue about the greatest basketball player of all time. Two high-school students tentatively discover a connection with each other. These are the moments childhood is made of: funny, awkward, tender and fleeting.
Then gun violence interrupts them. The violence itself is never the spectacle. Instead, the film remains with what has been interrupted and lost—and with the now-familiar responses that follow: grief, thoughts and prayers, explanations, rationalizations, and ultimately the return to ordinary life until it happens again.
WHY THIS FILM
Firearms have been the leading cause of death for American youth since 2020. While statistics, however grotesque, tell us the scale, it's stories can bring home the human element of loss. School shootings have become part of the background noise of American life: horrifying when they happen, followed by a familiar cycle of grief, argument and inaction.
No Kidding Around approaches the subject differently. It does not begin with guns, politics or policy. It begins with children. By first allowing us to know them in ordinary moments of humor, affection, friendship and possibility, the film asks the audience to experience not simply an act of violence, but what that violence interrupts.
THE FILMMAKERS
Robert M. Herzog
Writer / Producer / Co-Director
Robert M. Herzog is a novelist, screenwriter, playwright and filmmaker. He wrote, produced and directed the award-winning short film Flights, which screened at numerous festivals, including the Hamptons and LA International Short Film Festival, and won Best Film — Short Subject at the Cinevue International Film Competition.
His screenwriting has also received recognition from Cinequest, the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, New York Script Awards, Best Script Award London and other competitions.
His published works include his novel, A World Between, a Barnes & Noble e-Book of the day, and Views from the Side Mirror, an essay collection, as well as numerous short stories and poems. You can see more of Robert's work on thezog.com website and at https://linktr.ee/RobertMHerzog
Dean Imperial
Co-Director
Dean Imperial is a screenwriter, director and producer whose feature film CAPER premiered at SXSW in 2025. His television writing credits include Godfather of Harlem, Hotel Cocaine and Imposters. He is represented by CAA and Untitled Entertainment.
CURRENT STATUS
Moving Toward Production
The screenplay is complete and was named a:
FINALIST — BEST DRAMA SCREENPLAY
Fall 2026 Austin Short Film Festival
No Kidding Around is currently in financing and pre-production, with a completed production plan, budget and pitch deck.
The film is fiscally sponsored by The Gotham Film & Media Institute.
NO KIDDING AROUND
Written and Produced by Robert M. Herzog
Co-Directed by Robert M. Herzog and Dean Imperial
© 2026 Robert M. Herzog
