About the Film

"Interference" tells the story of one teenage boy’s struggle with paranoia and identity amidst the start of the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s. The film is an exploration of the way media and identity are intertwined, a deep dive into social paranoia that parallels our modern world, and a love letter to the analog technology of the 80s. 

"Interference" discusses the way media coverage immerses us in a world that feels steeped in fear and hatred, and how this can warp our perceptions of ourselves and others. Through the lens of psychological horror, we explore the bidirectional relationship between media and society and how that can impact minority youth. Additionally, we’ll investigate the psychological strains and existential consequences of feeling unable to authentically express yourself in your community.

About the Creators

Message from the director:

Hi there,

Thank you for taking an interest in our short film! My name is Lila Woodbridge, and I'm a filmmaker based out of L.A. 

"Interference" has been in development since 2020, where it started as a short screenplay written by a friend; it's since grown into a large scale production backed by a talented team of filmmakers who chose to volunteer their time simply out of a passion for the story we want to share. The funds raised here are needed to fulfill our goal of completing this film and sharing that passion with you.

Despite "Interference" being set in the 80s, many of the social and political themes of the film have the capacity to resonate deeply with today's audiences. In my own research for this film, I was struck by the numerous similarities between the political realities of the early 1980s and the modern world. Diving headfirst into the early media coverage of the AIDS epidemic and the American government’s first response was eerily reminiscent of 2020, especially in the way bigotry and intolerance were so easily fueled by fear.

Queer horror is an underutilized genre, but I strongly believe there are a lot of queer stories that can find their place in that narrative structure. If this is something that interests you, I hope you’ll take a leap and help us tell our story.

We’ve got lots of fun goodies and perks for those that choose to be involved, from owning the film on VHS with a custom designed slip cover, to cassette copies of the original score, and even owning some of our fantastic props for yourself, on top of the knowledge that you’ve helped a ragtag team of passionate artists create something you won't want to miss.

Thank you so very much for your support,

Lila Woodbridge

Where do funds go?

Cast and Crew:

Shooting for "Interference" will take place in Southcoast Massachusetts in the area around Lila's hometown of Fairhaven, an up-and-coming filmmaking destination in it’s own right: recently hosting features such as The Holdovers starring Paul Giamatti and Finestkind written and directed by New Bedford native Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential) starring Tommy Lee Jones.

The crew of "Interference" is a diverse group of filmmakers and artists from across the country, flying in to Massachusetts from as far away as L.A. and N.Y.C. out of a passion for telling this story. Housing everyone involved and feeding a large cast and crew three healthy meals a day takes a large amount of funding that we need your support with.

Production Design:

Recreating the 80s is a huge task for any production designer, and requires each set to be built up from scratch, from furniture to electronics to kitchen appliances and more. Wall decor for our protagonist’s bedroom will include original artwork by a team of artists and graphic designers, working to create everything from 1980s film posters to band posters and flyers. 

Working CRT TVs, props essential to our story, pose an interesting struggle for filmmakers. Due to the technology used to show images through cathode ray tubes, filming content on CRT TVs causes scan lines, flickering, and distortion. As a solution, our props department has found an inventive solution: removing the cathode ray tube and replacing the screen with a modern LED flatscreen TV and retrofitting those TVs with new 3D printed bevels to snugly fit the modern screen! (Check out our perks to make one of these unique TVs yours after our shoot.)

Recreating the early 1980s authentically is incredibly important to telling this story and we would really appreciate your help in funding this endeavor!

More:

Feeding our hungry cast and crew and designing realistic sets are just two of the many uses for our film's budget. Funds will additionally go towards renting camera equipment and lighting gear, purchasing equipment insurance, costumes, covering travel expenses for cast and crew, hiring local crew, and post-production expenses such as hiring a colorist, sound designer, VFX artist, and more.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you’d like to help out in other ways please feel free to share this fundraiser with the horror fans, VHS fanatics, and analog connoisseurs in your life or anyone you think may be interested in contributing to this project! Any exposure for this fundraiser on any platform would be greatly beneficial to us!

We'll be posting updates here on our progress, production stills and behind-the-scenes content, as well as updating you with more details about our fantastic cast and crew, and the creative and technical processes behind bringing this story to life (from custom camera builds for vintage looks to navigating the explosive dangers of taking apart a CRT TV) so be sure to follow our campaign so you don't miss anything. You can also follow the director on Instagram and TikTok @lila.sophia.w to get more updates about the film.