Cold Turkey is a psychological thriller being produced by students at the Westminster Film School, a highly regarded institution that is recognised for its work being screened in festivals around the world, going on to win student Oscars and has seen many successful alumni through its doors, some of which have gone on to win Academy Awards.
It tells the story of Ellie, a heroin addict going clean in an abandoned cabin. When David breaks into the cabin, Ellie unwittingly finds herself in a game of psychological cat and mouse with the mysterious man, as they both attempt to work each other out – and discover the dark secrets that they both hold. How far would someone go to be free from their past?
CHARACTERS
Ellie, mid 20’s, is a recovering drug addict who is in a weakened state due to her withdrawal from drugs. Each bruise or track mark hides a secret to a past that she so desperately wants to be free from, a desire that runs so strongly within her that she’ll go to extraordinary lengths to make it happen – even if there are people standing in her way.
DAVID, late 30s/early 40’s, is physically intimidating and robust. Whilst claiming to work in construction management, David arrives shrouded in mystery and holds any information regarding who he is close to his chest. He takes a particular interest in Ellie’s personal life, seemingly taking advantage of her weakened state. He is erratic and abrasive which puts Ellie on edge. His confidence in himself results in his downfall.
This is an intimate story, set entirely within the abandoned cabin that Ellie and David break into, and that’s why we need your help. Our plan is to build the cabin in our film studio and we want to make it as realistic and lifelike as possible. We want to create a set that not only looks fantastic on screen but also acts as a living, breathing environment for the actors to thrive in.
We’re aiming to raise £1,000 to put towards our budget through IndieGoGo. Any money that we receive will be witnessed on screen, as it will be used to create the cabin. The materials we need to purchase are expensive. Take a look at our floor plan for the cabin we're building below:
REWARDS
Through the help of your generosity our film will be able to come to life. To say thank you, we're able to offer rewards and perks in return for your kind donations, check them out:
£5 - Watch the film early.
£10 - A special thank you on our Facebook page + link to watch the film early.
£20 - Exclusive behind the scenes stills of the cast and crew working on set + link to watch the film early.
£50 - A signed version of the Cold Turkey script, signed by writer/producer Patrick Forster and director Harry Holroyd, exclusive behind the scenes stills of the cast and crew working on set + link to watch the film early.
£75 - Receive limited edition signed posters of the film signed by all of the crew, as well as a signed version of the Cold Turkey script, signed by writer/producer Patrick Forster and director Harry Holroyd, exclusive behind the scenes stills of the cast and crew working on set + link to watch the film early.
£150 - A MASSIVE thank you, including a thank you on our Facebook page and executive producer credit, receive the handmade lion statue prop especially made for the film, as well as limited edition signed posters of the film signed by all of the crew, exclusive behind the scenes stills of the cast and crew working on set + link to watch the film early.
We feel that ‘Cold Turkey’ has the potential to be a powerful film, one that stays with you long after you’ve seen it and makes you think. It explores themes of addiction and how far people are willing to go to gain their freedom. We’ve got a talented crew that have worked with each other previously, all of whom are bringing something different to the table.
Risks and challenges
As a project, ‘Cold Turkey’ brings a number of challenges that we can’t wait to tackle as we approach the shoot. We have learnt so much already from our time at Westminster Film School so far and we want to use these skills to tell the story of David and Ellie. One of the risks we face currently is the phenomenal cost of our production design. Our art department are working hard to build a phenomenal cabin, but we can only afford to make this fully through the help of fundraising.
Locations
While building the cabin in the studio presents us with the challenge of creating a set, we will also be shooting on location for one day. The final shot is so important to us and it’s crucial that we capture the woods that surround the cabin to enhance the viewing experience. This creates logistical problems such as transporting elements of our cabin set to the woods as well as equipment and the crew. Through the help of your donations, we will be able to support our travel costs for our cast and crew and assist out location fees to create this fantastic final shot.
(The final shot of the film to be shot on location at the woods)
Cast
We are currently in the midst of casting and it is a very exciting time. Our casting director, Katherine, has been in discussion with many great actors with the support of Patrick and Harry. Casting is especially important because the film is heavily performance based, revolving around two characters and the psychological games that they play with each other. This will give the actors a great chance to really explore the characters and bring out the exciting story of Cold Turkey.
Stunts
The film culminates in an intense fight scene that means we are going to bring in a professional stunt coordinator to ensure the stunts are carried out professionally and effectively. We will hire a trained stunt coordinator who can ensure the fight scene is both safe and looks realistic on screen. Health and safety is of the highest importance when working on a film set, so we will ensure that our stunt coordinator is well trained to ensure that no one gets hurt - the help of your donations support our costs for a professional stunt coordinator.
We understand that not everyone is able to contribute but even just sharing this page would be a massive help to us! Thank you for your time and for checking out our campaign!