What is AETERNUM?

AETERNUM is a dark fantasy thriller feature film epic based on the short film "Electric Blue" from award winning filmmaker, Tyler Peck.

What is AETERNUM based on?

The AETERNUM feature film is based on the award winning short film, "Electric Blue," which was shot and produced in 2015, and was an official selection at such great indie festivals as the: Williamsburg Independent, Atlanta Independent, Kansas City 20th Anniversary Fest, Roswell FF, LA New Wave, New Paltz FF, Hudson Valley International, etc.

Check out the entire 10 minute short film at the top of the page.

What are AETERNUM's themes & messages?

"We need to do better. We need to be better. Everyone. Everyday."

AETERNUM isn't only about race, or gender, or the environment--politics or war. It's about all of it. All the difficult things that underlie those divisions and conflicts. Aeternum is a powerful movie about memory, family and who we really are deep down. The war in Ukraine. The continued violence towards people of color and the LGBTQ+ community. The realities of climate change. The world needs movies like Aeternum that are brave enough to talk about and confront these issues in an allegorical, artistic and impactful way, now more than ever.

AETERNUM is a movie with depth and heart. A movie that talks about citizenship, responsibility, unity and humanity. A movie trying to make a difference.

What are AETERNUM's influences & aesthetics?

What's the Story? What is AETERNUM about?

What are AETERNUM's box office comps?

Why trust us? What is our Proof?

"Electric Blue," the short film AETERNUM is based on, was fully produced by DRKBLU Films for $4500 in 2015. It was filmed in Los Angeles over the course of 2 days on set, with 3 primary actors, numerous extras and a lean production/post production crew. The film runs 10 minutes long, and was an official selection at 9 Film Festivals, and was featured on the acclaimed short film blog, Film Shortage. The cast included soap opera star Blake Berris (Days of Our Lives, Pretty Little Liars, Breaking Bad), and tv star Liz McGeever (Righteous Gemstones, Wonder Years, Homeland).

When well known producers have been asked what they assumed the budget for Electric Blue was, they always guess between $50,000 - $100,000. With DRKBLU Films's creativity and resourcefulness, we could turn $200,000+ into a stunning and ground breaking feature film.

Some stills from Electric Blue:

Who is AETERNUM?

Tyler Peck  (lead actor)  known for his extensive theatrical work on films and television shows like: What's Your Number? (20th Century Fox), Body of Proof (ABC), Marry Me (NBC), Chosen (Sony's Crackle), Men at Work (TBS), Whatever Makes You Happy and Electric Blue, just to name a few 

Elyse Cizek  (lead actress)  known for her exceptional modeling, music video and commercial work with brands like: Sephora, Lexus, McDonalds, Toast, Smirnoff; and videos like: Jeremy Renner's "Main Attraction"

Mateo Ray  (supporting actor)  winner of the 2022 Best Young Actor at the 43rd Annual Young Artists Awards; and known for his incredible modeling, commercial and theatrical work on shows like: Modern Family, Dave, Mayans, 9-1-1, Magic for Humans, Life in Pieces; and brands like: LEGO, Walmart, Lexus, Comcast, NBA, MLB and Google

What We Need

Making independent films is a truly beautiful undertaking. But it's also very expensive. And it's usually far too expensive for one person to fund on their own. In an attempt to retain some level of creative control from larger production companies and studios, it often becomes necessary to raise the money oneself, and rely on the kindness of those that we know and trust. Real talk: we need to raise a bare minimum of $200,000 in order to make this film possible. In all reality, we will likely need a bit more; but this amount will allow us to make the feature film, and make it well. But we need your help. The truth is, we simply cannot make this powerful movie without your generosity.

Where the Money Goes

All the funds raised will go to paying our growing army of consummately talented and professionally successful cinematographers, editors, composers, sound designers, production designers, producers, VFX artists and actors to bring this resonant story to life. The money will also go towards securing the kinds of filmmaking equipment and stunning locations that will elevate the production value of this film to another level. Lastly, these funds will be used to pay for all the fun things like permits and insurance that will allow us to make the most high quality film in the most professional way possible. 

What You Get

We understand how big of a gesture it is to support small indie films; so we want this project, this experience, to feel like a community. A family. And since you are being so kind to us, we want to reciprocate and give back to you. Not only are all of your donations to this film 100% tax deductible (production will provide you with all necessary forms for your taxes), but we have created an honestly pretty darn amazing list of Perks for you to feel more connected to this project. We're a little biased of course, but go check out our list of goodies over on the Perks menu, take a peek, and have some fun with it!

What's the Business Plan? Will we see a Return?

Dark genre films like AETERNUM are always in high demand from viewers and thus streaming platforms. The horror genre and related genres like sci-fi, fantasy, psychological thriller and supernatural films tend to outperform all other genres in overall sales in VOD and streaming. They also are often the least expensive genre of film to produce, as they tend to utilize fewer locations and smaller casts that instead focus on intense performances and unique visuals over pricey locations or massive set pieces.

If we can raise our $200,000+ budget and successfully produce AETERNUM, the hope would be to premiere at a larger festival to gain some cred and exposure, which could then be leveraged to secure sales/distribution to various platforms, and potentially gain a limited theatrical release. Between a VOD release, mixed with licensing out the film to multiple streaming platforms (Peacock, Tubi, Vudu, Shudder) as well as airlines, the production budget should be recouped. For those that contributed a significant amount of money at this early stage, the idea would be to offer a percentage return on overall net sales as a formal return on investment. The particulars of that would need to be discussed and negotiated between the investor and DRKBLU Films. 

That said, financially contributing to the AETERNUM Crowdfunding Campaign should primarily be looked at as a tax deductible donation to the production of an independent film.

What if I Can't Donate, But Want to Help?

Not everyone can donate money to crowdfunding campaigns, and that is entirely understandable. If however you'd still like to help this little project out, please feel free to share this IndieGoGo campaign link and/or the film's Instagram page with family and friends and friends of friends--and complete strangers! The more the merrier, really. Help us get the word out. Help us connect with backers that want to support films like this with heart and soul that are trying to do some good in the world. People that are looking for a meaningful use for their money.

Instagram: @aeternum_film

Thank You

It's hard to put into words how much your support means to us. Sharing in this kind of effort feels like love and beauty in its purest form. That might sound kinda cheesy--but it's true. We believe in this project. So we hope you will, too. And just know that by helping bring this film into being, you are helping make this world a better place. Truly.

From the bottom of our hearts -- Thank You.

All AETERNUM Content © Tyler Peck 2023.  All Rights Reserved.