Cinematography for Actors InstituteFiscal Sponsorship
During the 1980s farm crisis, a tiny Iowa town facing an uncertain future built one of the greatest winning streaks in American sports history, transforming a high school basketball team into a source of hope.
As foreclosures, economic uncertainty and the decline of rural america threatened Palmer, Iowa, Coach Alden Skinner built an unprecendented basketball dynasty. Years ahead of his time, Skinner's fast-paced, three-point-heavy system transformed a roster of Undersized farm kids, none taller than six feet, into one of the greatest teams in high school sports history.
Led by prolific scorers Brian Pearson and Troy Skinner, the team captured national attention with a record-setting 103-game winning streak. As media outlets descended on Palmer and comparisons to the movie Hoosiers followed, the town became an unlikely American phenomenon.
But this is about more than basketball. It's the story of a community finding hope and identity in its darkest hour. While victories piled up on the court, the forces reshaping rural Iowa continued to grow, ultimately leading to school consolidation, population decline, and the gradual disappearance of the town that made the streak possible.
Set against the backdrop of the 1980s farm crisis, Barn Burners tells the story of how a tiny Iowa town became the center of the basketball world while the foundations of rural America were crumbling around it.
At its heart is Palmer, Iowa, a community of farmers facing foreclosures, economic uncertainty, and the slow erosion of small-town life. As families struggled to hold onto their farms, coach Alden Skinner built an unprecedented basketball dynasty, implementing a fast-paced, three-point-heavy style years ahead of its time.
Though talented enough to coach at any level, Skinner remained committed to the small town, transforming a roster of undersized farm kids, none taller than six feet, into one of the greatest teams in high school sports history.
Leading the charge were Brian Pearson and Troy Skinner, a prolific scoring duo whose chemistry and long-range shooting made them the original "Splash Brothers" decades before the term existed. Brian was covered in cancerous moles from head to toe, which eventually killed him in his twenties, which made his athletic ability even more impressive.
As the team's winning streak grew to 103 consecutive games, a national record, the media descended on Palmer, turning an isolated farming community into an unlikely American phenomenon and drawing inevitable comparisons to Hoosiers.
The film isn't just about basketball, though. It is about a town finding hope, identity, and purpose during its darkest time.
As the victories mounted, so too did the challenges facing rural Iowa, culminating in school consolidation, population decline, and the gradual disappearance of the school and eventually the town.
Frank D'Argenio is a Los Angeles-based writer and producer, originally from Chicago. A former writer with The Second City, he has worked across live theater and digital media, with a focus on character-driven storytelling and collaborative creative work. His projects often explore themes of identity, connection, and everyday experience. Frank is currently developing original content while continuing to collaborate with artists throughout the L.A. creative community
Ryan Nielsen is a Writer and Director based in Los Angeles, CA. He was born and raised in Fort Dodge, IA and attended the University of Iowa, where he earned Bachelor's Degrees in Creative Writing and Cinema. His upbringing in the Midwest has influenced his storytelling in many ways, and he is often drawn to stories with a restrained visual style that explore moral ambiguity, fractured family relationships, and social dynamics. He believes in the power of treating seemingly-mundane incidents as something that can be grand and cinematic. Ryan's latest short film, Pretty as a Picture, was selected to several film festivals including Dances With Films, the Catalina Film Festival, and Film Quest.
Carson Aden is a director and producer based in Los Angeles, originally from Iowa. He began his creative career in Chicago as a writer at The Second City, where he developed a sharp eye for character and storytelling through sketch comedy. His passion for film eventually led him west, where he now lives and works full-time in production. Carson currently manages physical production on the historic Fox Studio Lot, overseeing a range of television and film projects. He is drawn to stories that explore the intersection of sports and everyday life.
Every gift goes to this project through Cinematography for Actors Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
