About the filmmaker and his passion project

Hello everyone. My name is Clayton Broomes, Jr and I am the writer, director and producer of the project Grey Dawn. My film journey started as an intern for music video director Hype Williams in 1998. A year later, I took a continuing education course in filmmaking at the School of Visual Arts and have since written, directed and produced films.  My drama series, “Everybody's Doing It” was awarded the 2005 Gold Remy Award for Best TV Series at the WorldFest International Film Festival. My short film Alone screened at the 2006 Roxbury Film Festival, Urban Mediamakers Film Festival and aired on BETJ’s “The Best Shorts Showcase” in 2007. My first feature film Pro-Black Sheep won Best film/video on matters relating to the Black Experience/Marginalized People at the 2010 Black International Cinema Film Festival in Berlin, Germany. It also earned me a First Time Narrative Feature Award for Directing nomination at the 2010 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. One of my latest feature length narrative screenplays, Who Trespass Against Us, was optioned by Forest Whitaker's company, Juntobox Films and is currently being developed.

My crowdfunding campaign is being launched solely to raise 40% of the budget needed to complete Grey Dawn, as I already have 60% of the funding in place. We move into principal photography on January 21, 2013.

Your contribution will not only pay some very deserving, passionate cast and crew people who have already exerted themselves above and beyond, with hardly any pay, but it will also satisfy my five year filmmaker's drought. I haven't made a film since Pro-Black Sheep, which was shot in 2007. I busied myself with developing narrative feature projects while raising my two sons. Of recent, I have been so desperate to tell stories, I found myself looking to animation, graphic novels, anything to quench my thirst to move, thrill and entertain audiences with little to no money. Now that both my sons are in school, I have time to get back into the game as a director. I miss working with crew, blocking/staging actors, editing, post-production, sound mixing, all of the magical steps in making movies. With your much appreciated contribution, you will be putting me back where my heart desires to be the most -- in the director's chair.

What We Need & What You Get

We need $17,000 to fully complete the film. Like I said before, we already have 60% of the budget, which is great but not enough to pay for some crew people, insurance, some locations, editing, the musical score, post-sound and marketing (website, press kit, film festivals, etc.).

In return for your contribution, you're entitled to any of the incentives you see listed to the right within the range of what you donate. Incentives include your name mentioned on the film's website, a DVD copy of the film, a poster, a mention under special thanks in the end credits, and even associate producer credit.

If we don't reach our entire goal, the funds will be able to at least pay for special effects provided by The Specialists Ltd., insurance, some locations, and those cast and crew members not accepting deferred pay, barely getting us through principal photography. But, depending on how much we fall short, it may not be enough for a completed product.

Sorry. No Impact here. :(

I wish I could say this is a film that can change the world or contribute to humanity and all that. But I would be lying. As I expressed in the video, I grew up on the big action/adventure, psychological thrillers and horrors, not intimate indie novelties. So, Grey Dawn was inspired from some place within me that wants to make a fun, exciting film, that can keep people on the edge of their seats. All of my previous films were low-to-no budget films, limiting me to the independent drama genre. So, this film is not only a great way for me to get back into filmmaking, it's also an opportunity for me to venture into the action thriller genre. As an aikido practitioner, I'm inspired to choreograph fight scenes for film as well.  I'm also inspired by strong women and wanted to make a film featuring one well into her golden age. And with my desire to be different, I wanted to explore a unique relationship between a grandmother and her teenage grandson, who find themselves growing apart, only to be brought back together by extraordinary circumstances.

Other Ways You Can Help

Now, as an artist living in New York City, I know that some of you won't be able to contribute financially. That's fine. But if you like what we're doing here and believe in it, then please spread the word. Make noise about Grey Dawn. The Indiegogo share tools can help you help us in getting this campaign out to as many people as possible. Allow me to thank you ahead of time for supporting in this way.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/greydawnshort

Twitter: www.twitter.com/GreyDawnShort

Aikido of Park Slope website & Facebook page: www.aikidoofparkslope.com & www.facebook.com/AikidoOfParkSlope.