“Incognita” is a half hour short film about a group of actresses who disguise themselves as men to get away with robbery.

After another failed audition, Denise, our main character, calls a friend from her acting class, Charlie, who had mentioned an “acting opportunity” that she could be really good for. At the troupe's headquarters, she meets Michelle, a stuntwoman, and Betty, the director of their organization. The four set off into the night, dressed as guys, complete with facial hair and false bravado. But it seems the only improv game they have in mind is pulling heists all night long. Will Denise fall in ranks or run the other way? And will a run in with some highway patrolmen sway their course?

A Little Bit of Background

When I originally wrote “Incognita,” the movie was about three men robbing banks and the costume malfunction that leads to their demise. When a friend suggested the feminine version of the word “incognito” for the title, it was a wildfire of new ideas. I thought of good, strong female roles. I thought of the Bechdel test. I thought of grindhouse and exploitation cinema. And I can't wait to capture the result on film.

The story of "Incognita" may seem a lot more than a short film, and that's because we're just getting started. I want to give people a taste of what we can do. Too often a short film falls into a trap of just being an illustrated joke or punch line. And sometime's that's all you need. But the girls of "Incognita" have history. They have motives. I've seen a lot of short films that find me asking, “Why?” I want people to watch “Incognita” and ask me for “more.”

Why We Need Your Help

Now you're asking, “Where does my money go?” First off, there's paying the cast and crew. Then there are the rental costs. We're shooting “Incognita” on Canon 5D MK 3 cameras with special lenses to capture as much as we can in low light. Most of the film takes place at night and I want to avoid a heavy studio lighting look. We also have to pay for permits, food to feed everyone, rental costumes, props, makeup, and most importantly, wigs and fake facial hair. It all adds up. Then we start to go into post producton – editing, DVD production and distribution of the film. Our goal is to send "Incognita" out to as many film festivals as we can. If it recieves good attention, I can go and tell professionals about the other scripts I've written and the projects I have in mind.

What's In It For Me?

The inevitable question is “What do I get in return?” The people behind "Incognita" all come from strong artistic backgrounds. My background especially is in the visual arts: drawing, painting, comics and photography. And we want to give people as much of that through the film and the rewards. We have all the standard fare -- digital downloads, DVDs and promotional postcards. But you'll also see limited-edition screen-printed posters, prints of artistic behind-the-scenes photos taken on set, collections of storyboard art -– things I'd want to own myself that bring me closer to the film's production. Bear in mind, we want you to contribute and feel satisfied about doing so.

Where Are We Now

We are currently in pre-production status. All the players have been cast and shooting is scheduled to begin in mid-May. You can follow our progress at

http://incognita-film.tumblr.com/

So please help make “Incognita” a reality. Contribute to what will be a fantastic film, something you'd want to watch again and again. And give a filmmaker a helping hand in the early stages of his career.