(A Very) Ham-Fisted Stake-Out
'Ham-fisted'- inept, clumsy or bungling; to handle something in an incompetent or unskillful manner
THE PITCH
After his girlfriend is killed in a botched drug deal, a hot-headed rookie and an experienced hitman team up to deal with the aftermath.
THE STORY
Ward (Tom Varey), an impetuous ex-soldier, is tasked with handling the aftermath of a drug deal gone sour. Paired with John-Boy (TBC), his antithetical superior, they must track down whoever sabotaged the deal, in which not only the drugs were lost but Clover (TBC), the boss' daughter and Ward's girlfriend.
As the pair get closer to the drugs, the real ruse is uncovered- but will the truth set them free, or will pig-headedness prevail?
Greetings! Thanks for visiting the fundraising page for our short film, '(A Very) Ham-Fisted Stakeout' . Wherever you're visiting from, we're very glad to have you. Just make sure you take your shoes off, we've just hoovered the carpet.
How rude of me. Allow me to introduce us.
THE TEAM
Starring: Tom Varey as 'Ward'. Originally from Manchester, Tom studied at the prestigious RADA, before making his first break as Bert Middleton in BBC drama 'The Village'. His excellent performance soon led to other TV credits, including Paul Abbott's 'No Offence' and a little known HBO show called 'Game of Thrones'...Tom's talent extends beyond the screen to the stage, and he has trodden the boards in 'Midsummer Night's Dream' (Liverpool Everyman), 'One Arm' (Southwark Playhouse) and 'Deathwatch' (The Print Room). It's fair to say his star is very much on the rise.
Tom says : 'The reason why I wanted to be involved with this project was because the script really excited me. Max's brand of dark humour was something that really spoke to me. I think it's a fantastic story with witty, layered characters and it's going to be a lot of fun'.
Writer/director: Maximilian Ward graduated with a Masters with merit in Writing for Screen & Stage from Regent's University, London. As it turns out, having a Masters does not mean you can attach the prefix 'Doctor' to your correspondence...Max was also recently a finalist in the 'Shore Scripts' Short Film competition for another project. He didn't win.
Max says: 'Cinema has always been an integral part of my life. There's nothing like handing over your ticket and walking through those absurdly-carpeted hallways before settling into the auditorium. I want people to have that excitement going to see my films. I want to make films with characters and stories that excite, that challenge, that entertain, that frustrate; it's this pathos that keeps people coming back again and again.
'It took me two years to figure out the story. I wrote it again and again and again. I wanted it to hit. I wanted it to be perfect. Even now I'm tweaking commas and ellipses. I'm a perfectionist. I can't help myself.
'I'm so proud of the team that have gathered around this script. I couldn't have asked for more. They've invested so much time and energy into this project. All for some words I wrote on a page. It's amazing. These are young guys who are destined for the top of the game. I don't want to blow smoke up their arses, but I predict big things for them.
'We're not doing this for money or for glory. We're genuinely doing this because we want to entertain people. If I wasn't making films, I don't know what I'd do with myself. Probably something much less distressing for my parents'.
Executive Producer: Edoardo Bussi. VP of International Sales at a UK market leading film production company, Edo has a breadth of knowledge and contacts in the industry, and will be integral to the campaign on his first solo venture.
Producer: Dominic Bolton originally trained as a Stage Manager at RADA, before making the transition to film, producing a number of short films including 'Padlock'.
Casting Director: Annie Rowe. Annie trained as an actress at the National Youth Theatre and RADA. Then alongside her acting career, she started working as a Casting Assistant on commercials and as a go-getter on movies for the mighty Casting Collective.
Annie went on to become a full time independent Casting Director in 2009. She is a member of the CDG, a Fellow of the RSA, a member of BAFTA Crew and a Trustee for Prime Theatre Company.
Sancho's dead. She's not.
AIM
Ultimately, we want to bring you a witty brand of British Indie film, which will capture the imagination of the rest of the world. We have all the ingredients to produce a critically acclaimed short and, through widespread festival exposure, attract subsequent funding for the feature version.
But making films is hard. We need cameras. And actors. And lights. And insurance. But if it was easy, everybody would be doing it.
This is where you come in.
With your help, we aim to reach our goal of £12,000 in order to commence shooting in October 2016. When I say that every donation, however small, counts, is an understatement. And we appreciate every, single, one.
And, unlike many other projects of this ilk, everybody involved is getting paid. How generous are we?!
'But what do we get out of it?!' I hear you cry. Don't panic. We've thought of everything.
To your right, there should be a list of perks to feast over. We've recruited some really talented people to put these together, and they will not disappoint. Personally, I like the most expensive one. Funny that, isn't it?
Oh, and you also get good karma. (I've checked with my lawyer, karma is an intangible concept, and there's no way you can prove I didn't send it to you).
There are many elements to why film is important. It can be challenging, provoking debate that would otherwise stagnate. It can enlighten, enrich and inspire. Or, it can be damn funny, brutal and enjoyable. And that's the angle we're going for. A devilishly dark crime comedy.
It goes without saying that the impact of any donation is key. Even small donations amount to big things, which is why we've created the structured perks packages to acknowledge our appreciation of your generosity.
So please, break open the piggy bank, contribute what you can to our hog roast of a project, so that the world can find out who Sancho really is.