Before we get started
For anyone who is just hearing about our film, I want to update you on where we're at right now. This is our second campaign. Our first campaign was 126% funded on Kickstarter. So, this film is definitely happening. The reason for this second crowdfunder is because our goal that we surpassed of $10,000 was our minimum goal. It was the least we could crowdfund for and start making the film. Our target goal has been $20,000, so the closer we get to that goal, the more this film will turn out exactly how we intended without having to cut corners. Another reason that we are doing a second crowdfunder is the addition of Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp) to the film. After our successful crowfunder, we were able to secure Felissa's involvement in the film and now, we can offer you some cool Felissa perks!
Who are we?
I am Dave Kerr, an indie horror writer, producer and director. I am the creator of Slasher 15 Productions and I am a horror fan just like you. The title of this film interested you for the same reason it interests me. This is my passion project. After completing my first two horror films, Curse of the Slasher Nurse (2017) and Return of the Slasher Nurse (2019), I decided that if I were to make a third film, it would be the film that I want to make. The story that I want to tell. No other time or place in all of film do I think is more suitable for a horror movie than a summer camp in the 80's. Think about it. You're out in the middle of nowhere in an area that has dozens of secluded areas. Your friends are dropping like flies but you don't even notice it because there are so many places to hide a body. On top of all of that, you're in an era of time when communications were limited. No cellphones or internet. One phone line to the outside world. It's the perfect set up and they were done so well. Movies like the Burning, Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp had all the right elements to make an entertaining movie: Isolated locations, memorable characters, practical effects and even some comedy. You want to know why reboots and remakes keep happening? Because people miss the golden age of these movies. The only problem is that when they're remade, they usually get taken out of that era and brought into modern times with cellphones and abercrombie and fitch models for characters. That's why so many people hate them. At the same time, the reason all these movies and shows from the 80's are doing so well like Stranger Things is because they are taking place during that perfect time in the 80's.
I have written the script and I will be directing the film. I am also bringing back Owen Young, my cinematographer from Return of the Slasher Nurse. We make a great team and I believe he will be able to accurately capture the scenes how I see them in my mind.
Amber Fulcher, who co-produced both of the Slasher Nurse films will be joining me again. Amber is an even bigger horror fan than I am and her attention to detail is vital with a film that needs to take place over 30 years ago.
Wayne Townsend is an indie horror movie producer (Eaten alive in Uganda) and a huge horror movie lover. I met Wayne after my first film. He then went on to help us with Return of the Slasher Nurse and since we both shared a mutual love of horror films and Wayne had a similar vision to mine, I decided to bring him in as a producer to help make sure this movie turns out true to the 80's slasher style
Through our first campaign, people like you not only managed to get us the green light on this film, but we were also able to include Felissa Rose. Our film idea would not exist if it wasn't for the 80's slashers like Sleepway Camp so we're excited to be able to bring such an iconic 80's slasher star like Felissa into our own horror film.
What are you trying to make?
Not a reboot. Not a sequel. BLOODY SUMMER CAMP. A new, original (as original as it can be) slasher film that takes place in 1986 at a summer camp. I don't want to fuck with the films that I love. I want to make my own. With inspiration from the classic slashers that I grew up watching, I have created my own world at Camp Trustfall. A new slasher film with a new killer that takes place in the greatest time and the greatest place a slasher film could take place. Within our film, we plan to pay homage to the classics and give you something new with all the feel of the 80's nostalgia that the other films bring you when you watch them. With no CGI and 100% practical effects and a story that incorporates some comedy, we want to cover all the elements that made 80's horror films great. Plot synopsis: In 1986, the counselors of Camp Trustfall are preparing for another summer at camp when a killer in a leather devil mask starts hacking them up one by one. Is it the killer from the camp legend or someone else with an axe to grind?
What We Need & What You Get
Our budget this time will be flexible which mean we do not have to raise all of the money to get the funds. We have already reached our minimum goal so the film is definitely happening. This is us trying to get close to our target goal. We will be shooting for $8,000. That along with our funds from our first campaign would put us at our target budget of $20,000. The more we raise, the more we can bring to the film. If we go over our goal, that will only allow us to do even greater things with this film like possibly adding some other celebrities or some gorier deaths. Our budget is broken down into these categories: Production, Post Production, Equipment Rental and Kickstarter Fees and Perk Fulfillment. Production this time around means additional days at camp which would give us more time to get the scenes done right and makeup/effects to allow us to put more money into the effects needed for the death scenes. Equipment Rental would allow us to rent some better equipment for certain scenes that allow us to get better shots and more professional look. Post production would go towards the cost of a experienced sound editor as well as video editing upgrades and a more 80's/carpenter type score to the film. Lastly, we have Kickstarter Fees and Perk Fulfillment. It does cost money to produce the t-shirts and the DVD's and all of the other physical items associated with our rewards and the crowdfunder site Indiegogo takes their cut of what we raise as well just like Kickstarter who took close to $800 from our first campaign for fees so we have to set some money aside to help us pay for that
What do you get?
Not only will we bring back some of the popular perks that we had during our Kickstarter campaign but we'll also have all new, exclusive perks available! Some of the favorites coming back will be: Exclusive DVD's and Blu-rays, Camp Trustfall counselor t-shirts, signed scripts and other things like that. The new perks that we'll have available will be Camp Trustfall 11x17 posters, pictures and autographs by Felissa Rose, a chance to have lunch with Felissa and other awesome Felissa related things. So make sure you check out our perk packs.
The Impact
The impact that you can make with this campaign is about quality. Our last campaign, we raised enough money to rent the cabin, book Felissa and pay for some production costs and fx. The difference an additional $8,000 can make on our film involves how well we are able to make the movie. The money would give us more days to film at the camp so we could take a little more time and get a few more takes and maybe make the film a better experience to watch. It also gives us money to rent additional equipment that we don't have to allow Owen, the cinematographer to give the film some better, more professional and creative shots. It would provide more money for the fx in the film so we can give you more gore in our death scenes. A major portion of it will also go towards things we need in post like some professional sound mixing and an amazing 80's inspired score. If we don't raise $1 more, the film will get made but if we raise the $8000 or even $3000, trust me when I say it is going to make what you see in the end, a much better product,
Risks & Challenges
For you, there is NO risk. If you fund this movie, it will get made. This is a flexible campaign so no matter what we raise, the movie is getting made. I have ran 2 previous crowdfunding campaigns for my previous 2 films and I have fulfilled both my promise to make the films and the rewards promised to our generous contributors. My previous two campaigns were done with Indiegogo as well.
For us, the risk is minimal. We have made films with small budgets so we know how to work around the financial challenges and cut corners in order to make sure the film gets made. We hope though, that this time we will be able to raise enough money to not have to do that. We will be excited if we don't have to settle and are actually able to shoot the scenes the way we planned from the start.
The biggest challenge we face, aside from all the typical challenges that come with low budget filmmaking, is getting the movie filmed at the camp in time. We are raising enough money for 20 full days and nights at the camp. We are optimistic that we can get everything done in that time frame especially if we don't waste time filming woods scenes at the camp when we can film scenes like that in any woods for free. But, if we don't get it all done during those 20 days of spring, we will have the summer time to come up with additional funds for however many days we have left and we can wrap up the last little bit of filming as soon as Fall comes around. That's another benefit to waiting until spring comes to film.
Why Do We Care?
We care because we are horror fans first. I'm not a director who directs whatever film a studio puts in front of me. I'm a horror fan who wasn't entirely satisfied with today's horror films and the need for reboots so I decided to take my passion and use it to create my own horror films. And unlike big budget movies that make unnecessary cuts to films because the studio tells them they have to, we can make the movie that we want to make and hopefully the movie you want to see. And you don't have to worry about us trying to turn our film into a PG-13 crapfest trying to reach a wider audience. We know what what we, as horror fans, want. We want gore, we want unapologetic behavior and we want gratuitous nudity because that's what slasher films do. That is why our film will be unrated.
Other Ways You Can Help
Of course, like always if you can not donate yourself or if you have contributed to our first campaign already, you can always help us out by sharing our campaign. One big tip is to get personal when you share our crowdfunder. Rather than just sharing the link, if you write something yourself in the post letting your friends and family know what it is you're sharing, you're much more likely to get results. Thank you to everyone who has and will help us with our campaign.
Past Accomplishments
As mentioned above, this will be our third film. Our first film, was made on a very low budget of only $6,000 and we had to purchase all of our equipment out of that budget as well. However, with such a low budget, our film exceeded expectations from most and garnered mixed review. A lot of the negative remarks though were because of the low sound quality, the poor camera work and the amateurish acting. All of these things we were aware of while filming but couldn't do anything about at the time. I was unable to secure a cinematographer so I had to film the first movie myself which is why the camera work was less than desirable. We had bad sound because of the equipment that we bought on the budget that we had. The acting was because starting out as an unknown filmmaker, we had to use whoever was willing to work with us.
Despite all those things holding us back though, we still received positive reviews:
"An old school horror movie, for old school horror fans." - IMDB User
"Definitely an ode to the classic slasher films." - Amazon Prime Member
"With heavy influence from John Carpenter’s Halloween seasoned with elements from the Friday the 13th franchise, this film brings back a simple yet effective aspect in horror missing from many studio films of today." - Pophorror.com
"For an amateur feature on a micro-budget, Curse of the Slasher Nurse is a great beginning to Kerr’s filmmaking career." - Pophorror.com
"I watched!! Great Nurse!" - Lloyd Kaufman
Since then, Curse of the Slasher Nurse was released on Amazon Prime and Binge Horror and picked up for distribution by indie horror distributor, Screamtime films.
By the second film, we fixed all 3 of the major problems from the first film. We upgraded our sound equipment, I brought on Owen Young to do the Cinematography and we were able to audition for the cast and brought in some experienced actors and actresses from other indie horror films. Our sequel is complete and will be premiering at Creature Feature Weekend in August of this year before we decide on distribution.