We hit our Goal! Thanks for your support!
The Plan: 1 Location, 2 Actors, 10 Days
Most famous directors started their film careers the exact same way. Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee, they all made low budget, mainly 1 location movies starring only a handful of actors. That's how they learned the craft of filmmaking while developing their unique, artistic voice.
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Hitchcock's Rear Window - 2 Actors and a room with a view of murder
- Paranormal Activity - 2 Actors and a Ghost living in 1 house
- Before Sunrise - 2 Actors walking the streets of Vienna
So that's exactly what we're doing. We wrote No Retreat knowing that no one was going to do the hard work for us. No one was going to make it happen but us. So we made it personal and smart, but also contained and "easy" to self-produce.
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Where does the money go?
We're putting in $10,000 of our own money. With another $10,000 from you we'll be ready to start production ASAP. Without your help, we can't shoot. The money goes to:
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Camera and Sound equipment.
- Renting the Location.
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Paying and feeding the Cast & Crew
- Film Festival Entry fees
The Story
Two college friends reunite ten years later in a posh, summer home, for a writers' retreat. As they attempt to write a movie together, Sean, still a carefree musician and Emily, now an uptight lawyer, try to recapture the intimate friendship they once shared.
But over the course of the weekend their relationship gets tested with the surfacing of old insecurities, creative inequalities, and their unfinished sexual past. In a heated argument they unload a decades worth of resentment and repressed anger, each knowing exactly how to hurt the other most. But then Emily reveals a shocking secret that completely undermines Sean’s supposed position of superiority.
The next morning, with nowhere else to go, they're forced to completely open up. Revealing the insecurities, failures, and disappointments they’ve kept hidden all these years, they come to a deeper understanding of each other. Will they go their separate ways or will their friendship be able to survive this new level of honesty?
The Cast
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SAMANTHA SOULE - Emily JOSH TYSON - Sean
Samantha is a NYC based actress who's known for Law & Order SVU, the hit game Grand Theft Auto IV, and Revolutionary Road, and How We Got Away With It.
Josh is a NYC based actor who's known for Off Broadways' Three Sisters at the Classical Theater of Harlem, the short film Alabaster, The First Day, and Law & Order.
The Location
We'll potentially be shooting in Sag Harbor, Long Island.
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/465535
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Who We Are
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NICHOLAS ZAFONTE, Director/Producer/Writer
@nickzafonte
nickzafonte@gmail.com
www.nickzafonte.com
Nick has worked for the top advertising agencies in the country producing award-winning work for reknown brands such as American Express, Johnnie Walker, Axe, LG, Miller Lite, and Levi’s. His “Elf Yourself” viral campaign for Office Max had over 40 million visits and a record breaking half billion hits in all less than 5 weeks. It’s been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, The New York Times, USA Today, VH1’s Best Week Ever, and Entertainment Weekly’s “The Must List” and is now a favorite recuring holiday site.
Nick learned filmmaking at the SVA School of Continuing Education.
J.D. SINGER, Producer/Writer
@jaclynsinger
Jacyln started her creative career as a writer of poetry, short stories, and novels before moving into screenwriting and film producing. With a background in the financial world, working for the world’s largest Brokerage and Wealth Management firms, she combines her varied artistic talents with an extensive knowledge of business, finance, and contractual law.
The First Day
Our first short film we Wrote/Directed/Produced together.
The "Cool" Perks
The UP AND COMING ARTIST
Submit a doodle and we'll include YOUR ARTWORK along side Sean's sketches on The OFFICIAL MOVIE POSTER!
AND a Digital Download of the Movie for 1 month!
The WHITTLER
(Sean's hobby)
Get an OFFICIAL PROP from the Movie, either an expertly whittled wood TORTOISE or HARE!
How YOU Can Help
Contributing is the best way to help us make our movie. But if that's not possible we appreciate anything you can do to help spread the word and get people talking about No Retreat. Post it on Facebook and Twitter, comment on it, tell your friends and family about it, tell 5 strangers about it (though make sure they're friendly strangers). THANKS!!!