UPDATE – 25/03/2013

Thank-you to all the awesome people who believed in our project and love supporting indie films; we reached our $4000 target and then some! 114% funded!

WICKED STUFF! We love you all!

Keep an eye out for the finished film hitting festivals late 2013/early 2014.

Cheers :)

Evan Randall Green

writer/producer/director - DARK ORIGINS

*****

What is DARK ORIGINS?

DARK ORIGINS is a 10 minute short horror film being shot during May of 2013 in some haunting locations across Brisbane, Queensland.

The story centers on a cynical psychologist named Kay who discovers that her delusional patient Ella's claims of being haunted by malevolent beings may very well be true...but will Kay's realisation come in time to save Ella? Or herself?

Tonally dark and unnerving, the story is in a similar blood-spurting vein to horror films by Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick and more recently the fascinating works of Guillermo Del Toro.

We refer to the film as something like A CLOCKWORK ORANGE meets MAMA.

Looking at the project a little deeper, the story makes a subtextual nod to the haunting impact of misdiagnosing mental illnesses - such as depression - in modern day society. The unthinkable actions caused by those who suffer from mental illness that lead to horrific consequences, and those consequences leading to a similar action that leads to similar consequences and so on. A cycle that never seems to end, even at an age when medical science has never been more prevalent.

But in order for the character Kay in our story to break the cycle and save her patient Ella from the evil that abounds - we'll first need YOUR help!

What is a short film?

Short films have long been a format of choice for independent filmmakers for their ease of construction, affordability vs. the feature film length and the calling card they create for all involved to showcase their skills and gain experience. They're also thoroughly enjoyable as an entertainment form, so by investing in this film, you're not only helping create entertainment but also investing in the futures of every cast and crew member involved. It's a Win Win!

Once completed, a short film is then entered into film festivals where upon selection they are screened to audiences around the world.

At the very worst, a short film is a really handy tool for someone working in the film industry to have on show or in their CV. Much like building a home from a single bag of cement; it tells future employers that if you can achieve greatness from next to nothing, imagine what you could build if they backed you with a little more resources?

So...

We're making a short film. But not just any old short film.

A short HORROR film.

DARK ORIGINS is a refreshing psychological horror story with a touch of the supernatural and an unsuspecting twist ending. Because those are the fun ones, right?

We couldn't ask you to donate money to a horror film that was anything less.

Which leads us to your next question...

What will the money raised be spent on?

We need money to bring Kay and Ella's story to life on big screens around the world. It's great that ourselves, our friends and families, filmmaking colleagues and local businesses can throw their hats into the ring to help out with props or costumes or catering supplies or camera equipment – but unfortunately not everyone out there can donate their time or services to a short film. Which is where we need the money to cover those "gaps", if you will.

Flights for potential cast; petrol or out of pocket expenses for crew to make it to locations; meals on set; location & safety officers; first aid officers; armourers; insurance...it quickly adds up.

Although we have raised a small cash investment in the project already, it's nowhere near enough, so we're aiming to split the funds raised through our crowdfunding campaign into the following areas that need the extra boost:

• $1250 towards pre-production and production costs;
• $1500 towards post-production costs;
• $1000 towards festival submission, DVD print and marketing material costs.

Add to that total our fees to Indiegogo for allowing us to use their platform and you're looking at that shiny big goal of $4000.

Success = fist pumps in the air, like this little guy:

We think success is very achievable and we're confident the project will soar above and beyond our already high expectations.

We have big plans for the film and a list of accredited and reputable film festivals to send it to, both in Australia and overseas.

When will the film be completed?

All things going according to plan, we aim to have the film in the can by May 2013, then immediately into post production for editing. A completed copy of the film will be ready for shipping out to our investors + film festivals in the 4th quarter of 2013.

So who are we?

Evan Randall Green - writer/producer/director

I'm a feature film screenwriter with a passion for telling genre stories via the medium of film. Since graduating from the AFTRS (Australian Film Television and Radio School) in Screenwriting and Directing in 2009, I have been writing feature length spec screenplays full-time; two of which are currently optioned with one nearing production and several others I have been commissioned to write on assignment for producers. DARK ORIGINS will tally as my fourth short film as writer/director. And definitely not the last.

Richard C. Bell - cinematographer

Richard is an ACS award-winning cinematographer whose strong body of work has screened nationally and internationally. Some of his past projects include commercials, music videos and a long list of short films. You can watch some samples of his talent at work here:

www.richardcbell.com

Patrick J. Walsh - concept artist

Patrick is an extremely talented pro comic artist who's lucky enough to live on the (mostly) sunny south coast of England, a few miles to the left of Brighton.

As well as bringing a great tone to DARK ORIGINS with his artwork (see above), Patrick is a pleasure to work with and you can view his portfolio of work here: 

http://redrhinostudios.prosite.com

***Additional cast and crew members on the project will be a mixture of emerging and experienced professionals from the local industry. As I confirm each creative person's involvement, I'll update the campaign page and social media sites accordingly.

What if you cannot afford to donate money?

There are many other ways we could use your help, like spreading word about our campaign to your friends or family, or even a retweet or link share to our Indiegogo campaign on your Twitter feed or personal Facebook page. We're even grateful for a pat on the back!

But what we really, really need to get this film on screen is to reach the campaign goal so we can make it happen. Imagine never knowing what happens to Kay and Ella in our story!? Please don't keep them trapped in Courier font. Help us bring them to life.

What are you waiting for!!!

To the right, you'll see a selection of rewards we're offering to our investors for their donations. All you need to do now is select from one of our rewards and contribute to our cause, or if you'd find it more comfortable, you can select your own amount you'd like to donate. Anything and everything is appreciated.

Thank-you for your time in hearing our pledge for support.

I hope you can stand beside us by making a contribution to our campaign so we can share the DARK ORIGINS journey together.

Sincerely,

Evan Randall Green.