Into Infinity is a science-fiction adventure short film about how, in order to believe in something much greater than yourself, you need to believe in yourself entirely.

Katherine “Kit” Makena is a girl troubled by the loss of her father at a young age. In her final year of university she has perfected a procedure, together with a team of fellow students and without the knowledge of the authorities, that taps directly into the very core of what makes us human.

She has discovered a way to prove the existence of a soul and it's journey.

When a test subject refuses to go ahead with the experiment for personal reasons, it is Kit that puts herself and everything on the line in a race against time (and the University superiors) to prove to the world what she already knows; change our perception of the great unknown and face the final frontier…

But will she return?

CAST

THE ROGUE – Katherine “Kit” Makena played by Thishiwe Ziqubu
Katherine is a heroine that’s constantly at war with herself. Since losing her father at a young age, circumstances have driven her to conquer the ultimate unknown, and with it she has grown negligent of her own existence. Obsession and fixation have all-but consumed her, but her humanity remains alive in one faint, glimmering spark. On the outside she appears to be a fearless brigand willing to put it all on the line, but inside she is terrified and what scares her isn’t so much the uncertainty of the situation, but more the reality of it. It doesn’t matter if she’s wrong, but if she’s right it could change everything.

Thishiwe Ziqubu is an award winning South African actress, director and writer who recently scooped the Best Actress Award at the South African Film and Television Awards for her role in the feature film, Hard to Get. She earned her stripes at AFDA and the New York Film Academy and made her professional acting debut in 2011 with Akin Omotoso’s award-winning Man on Ground for which she was nominated Best Supporting Actress at the 2013 AMVCA’s and she can be seen in Book of Negros on CBC.

We are currently casting. Casting news to be announced during the campaign!

CREW

BRENDAN C. CAMPBELL – WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/EDITOR
Brendan C. Campbell is an accomplished award-winning editor and cinematographer with a background in writing and direction for theater that has intentionally evolved into film. His attention to character and the story as a character in itself has granted him celebrated success in the television industry, with the likes of collaborations and contracts for M-Net, Ogilvy & Mather and local broadcast edits for HBO. He is the founder and owner of Hand Drawn House Motion Pictures and, as a director, has called the shots on music videos for artists such as ChianoSky and served as a visual effects supervisor for artists such as The Parlotones, among many others.

Campbell’s vision, strict focus on detail and a wide knowledge of every aspect of the film-making process has allowed him to perfect his craft as a director, and his passion for storytelling has driven his ambition to write screenplays that are of a masterful level.

XOLELWA OLLIE NHLABATSI – PRODUCER
A Baobab Africa Best Short Film nominee, and founder of Blackweather Productions, Xolelwa Ollie Nhlabatsi created a solid foundation for himself in the entertainment industry with music videos for artists like The Soil, hard-hitting work for clients such as the BBC, Channel O and NBC Universal. Garnering international success in the form of his short film, Lost in the World, which toured Europe in 2015 during it’s festival run to powerful reviews and numerous award nominations.
Nhlabatsi’s belligerent style immediately paralyses viewers with such ferocity that they are unable to tear their eyes from the screen. Into Infinity marks the
second film collaboration between Nhlabatsi and Campbell and an ambitious venture that will
lead to a sequence of collaborative feature films in the near future.

OFENSTSE MWASE – DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
A multiple award-winning graduate of AFDA (The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance), internationally award-winning and
heralded cinematographer, Ofentse Mwase immediately sprung at the chance to work on Into Infinity, knowing the prospect of filming for science-fiction; his expertise in the usage of anamorphic lenses made him the obvious choice for the project, which was only cemented by his enthusiasm. Mwase’s flair for capturing truly profound and large-scale visuals with a tonal and emotional aesthetic makes him a truly unique voice in the film industry, especially since his work has been embraced internationally, having shot on almost every continent around the globe in too many countries to list here.

DALE VOGES – VISUAL EFFECTS SUPERVISOR
A 3D animator and team lead at animation company Flying Circus, Dale Voges and Brendan C. Campbell previously collaborated on visuals for a Parlotones music video. Embracing new technology to craft truly ground-breaking techniques in the world of visual effects, and having performed effect experiments over a period of several years, Campbell and Voges intend on founding a visual effects company in South Africa comparable to companies like Industrial Light & Magic, Weta Digital and Sony Pictures Imageworks, specializing in life-like realism in visuals and breaking new ground in the realm of visual storytelling. Into Infinity is the first sandbox that will realize this vision.

HONEY MAKWAKWA – CHARACTER STYLIST & WARDROBE DESIGN
To say that Honey Makwakwa is simply head of the wardrobe department is a criminal statement. Not only was she the lead actress in Lost in the World, she is able to create unique and striking concepts and designs in her work while keeping a deep understanding and embrace for character within the cocoon of their image onscreen. With each look, Honey herself crafts a story within that character and thus an irreplaceable depth and texture not very often seen in cinema. She is able to take a character in any script and identify who that person is, well enough to know their lifestyle choices in every way. She is also the co-founder of her own clothing brand, Sara Baartjies.

TSHEPANG RAMOBA & OFFIE NXUMALO – SOUND EDITING & SOUND DESIGN
Drummer and one of the founding members of South African alternative group BLK JKS, Tshepang Ramoba is also the owner of Post Post, a music production and mastering company that composes scores, produces, mixes and masters soundtracks for film and television. They have collaborated with the likes of EA Sports, FIFA, MTN and McDonalds as well as Ramoba’s own hard edged score and sound design for Lost in The World.

Offie Nxuamlo is a Johannesburg based sound engineer with extensive experience in television, having provided most of the punch behind M-Net’s advertising. Recipient of numerous international awards, Nxumalo and Brendan C. Campbell met while working on trailers and advertising material for film and television at a local company, which quickly developed into a profound friendship and working relationship, since the pair shared such a deep passion for the use of sound in cinema. Nxumalo’s focus on every meticulous detail and his adherence to unique and crafted sounds lend a one-of-a-kind cinematic charm to his work, as well as the creation of tonal shifts through the use of subliminal aural frequency distribution to let the audience ‘feel’ the scene they’re hearing.

COLLABORATORS

ADOBE
Adobe Systems Inc. has graciously allowed a complete year of usage of the full Creative Cloud software suite for free in order to complete the film. They have given full endorsement for all material created for the film and the film itself to feature their name and logo. Once again, a continually gargantuan thanks to them for their investment in our endeavor.

UBUNTUISM CLOTHING
From their website: “The story of ubuntu is the story of timeless African wisdom.” Ubuntuism Clothing is a uniquely high-concept fashion label that fights to maintain the truth and purity of universal African culture and consciousness in the form of contemporary couture. As a proudly South African production, Into Infinity will feature characters dressed in clothing sponsored by Ubuntuism, flying the South African colours high and proud for the world to see.

Kagiso Lediga - Executive Producer
Emmy Award Nominee, Kagiso Lediga is a South African stand-up comedian, actor, producer and director. He has written and directed noteworthy television comedies including the cult classic the Pure Monate Show, Late Nite News with Loyiso Gola, and the Bantu Hour. He has played starring roles in the films Bunny Chow, and Wonder Boy for President and is currently in post production on Catching Feelings, a feature written, directed and starring Lediga alongside Pearl Thusi. Lediga met with Campbell and Nhlabatsi at the Durban International Film Festival in 2016 where he immediately sprang at the chance to collaborate on Into Infinity and the production slate to follow.

• The movie will be shot entirely on vintage anamorphic lenses to create a unique look exclusive to the film.
• The final film will be a full 4K cinematic presentation.
• The special visual effects and animation for the film have been developed over a period of several years by director Brendan C. Campbell.
• The film will feature an original cinematic score composed entirely for the purpose of the movie.
• Into Infinity will be mastered in a full 5.1 surround mix, to immerse the audience entirely in the universe we've crafted on screen.
• There will be two versions of the film, a Festival Cut (Theatrical) and an Extended Cut that will be considerably longer.

Hand Drawn House Motion Pictures Ltd. and Blackweather Productions will facilitate all logistical practicalities for the film; that is we will provide the cast, the crew, the gear, the skills and the workforce required to complete the film up to the highest possible quality standard. Working with professionals requires a professional workflow, naturally, and we believe in adequately compensating our cast and crew for they work they do. For this reason we are reaching out to the world in search of investors, and by that we hope to encourage the development of a professional relationship that will move on to bigger projects.
The proposed funding here on Indiegogo represents salaries to cast and crew as well as equipment rental fees. Your donation means a lot to us, so we believe in treating it with the responsibility it deserves - in every way.

Funds will be allocated in the following order (Depending on how much of the budget is raised, these areas are listed in order of importance for distribution of funds):

1. Cast & Crew salaries (eg. The awesome people that make the magic happen).
2. Equipment Rental (eg. Big, fancy cameras).
3. Disposable Expenses (eg. Light bulbs).
4. Catering and Travel Expenses (eg. Cupcakes and an Uber).

• Should we continue to receive funds AFTER reaching our goal or once the campaign has come to a close, the additional funding will be allocated to expenses accumulated for the festival submission stage. All investors will be made aware of the allocation of funds at all times.
• As an investor, you will receive access to the budget and be kept up-to-date with the shooting schedule and progress.

PERKS

Perks are great, right? Since Into Infinity is the first step into a slate of game-changing films to come, we aim to immerse our donators in the universe of our movie. Some perk highlights include:

• Button Badge Pins 
• Baseball Caps
• Digital Soundtrack
• Posters - Various options will be available
• T-shirts - Various options will be available
• Blackweather Productions and Hand Drawn House Motion Pictures Coffee Mugs
• Festival & Uncut Versions of Into Infinity - with Special Features
• Digital Download Edition versions of the film from 720p to 4K UHD
• Ubuntusim clothing hampers
• Screening Tickets - This is only applicable to viewing admission and does not cover travel or accomadation expenses of any kind.
• Signed uncut Screenplays

Notes on perks:

• All perks, with the exception of Ubuntusim clothing, are LIMITED EDITION. All of our perks are created to the highest quality standard for the sole purpose of this film.
• We live in a global village so we're going out of our way to keep shipping costs down to a minimum by offering as many rewards as digital downloads where possible, to make sure you get your perks immediately!
• We are offering a hamper as part of our $5 baseline perk package (The First Step) where one lucky investor will randomly be selected to win the entire hamper of perks in a prize draw once the campaign draws to a close.
   

Into Infinity represents a proof-of-concept tool that will show further investors that a new and revolutionary voice in storytelling exists in the world and demands to be heard. The investors on Into Infinity are more than just that. They, as people, represent an element in the process as integral as one of the crew.

• Once completed, the film will be entered into every foreseeable festival and competition the world over. As a story, it is one of profound hope. It embodies a cinematic force of power that we all yearn for when we flock to the multiplex each weekend, so it's important that we get the film on as many screens as possible, and generate attention through awards and hype. Quality speaks for itself, and we firmly believe that it's through our combined efforts that the best film can be made and subsequently screened as a result of our teamwork here.
• Our previous short film, Lost in the World, was funded entirely through ourselves and Indiegogo. Considering that film was our first experiment in crowd-funding and went on to garner a plethora of screenings and award nominations around the world, we are proud to be returning for our second round and look forward to new encounters with investors from around the world.
• As a contributor, you will be kept up-to-date with the progress of the making of the film and it's international distribution at festivals and screenings, to it's internet release once complete.
• Contributors who select the Voyager, Barnstormer and Adventurer perk packages have automatic access to an overview of the production slate to follow Into Infinity over the following five years.
   

Thanks to our existing cast, crew and collaborators in place we can confidently create a world with which to craft our story. Our current obstacles include:

• Raising funds to cover production costs - The very reason why we're here on Indiegogo, and approaching independent investors too. We also believe in forming relationships with people who would invest in sharing this journey with us, for the long term - there has never been a more exciting time to be making movies, and it's through collaboration that we will all grow from the experience, especially as a global community.
• Raising enough awareness to generate a pre-existing fanbase for the film - We believe the film does already have a great scale of mass appeal, but through advertising and social media, as well as this campaign, we can truly grow the film into the experience it demands to be enjoyed as.
• What kind of a movie can we expect? - A truly beautiful one. The crew in place have unique skills and talents that make them the strongest possible candidates for the job, and the very reason they were selected in the first place.
   

Can't contribute? Feeling unsure? Here are a few other ways to stay up-to-date with the project:

• Follow this campaign
• Share the Indiegogo campaign across social media
• Like us on Facebook
• Mention the film online using the #intoinfinitymovie tag
• Follow Brendan and Ollie on Twitter
• Follow Brendan and Ollie on Instagram
• Follow Brendan and Ollie on Tumblr
• Visit the Hand Drawn House Motion Pictures website
• Visit the Blackweather Productions website
• Ask us a question via email
   

"Into Infinity is not about death. Nor is it an examination of moral dos and don’ts in the face of mortality. It is a story about a person like any one of us that must conquer the impossible in order for that one thing we all seek: peace of mind. It’s a metaphor as old as storytelling itself and yet it never loses its relevance. Audiences, young and old know how hard it is in the world, how dark and scary it is. We need the hope and the courage to know that we have it within ourselves to overcome seemingly impossible odds… If only on faith alone, to break free of what holds us back and step into a larger world.

Into Infinity embodies the traditional formula of storytelling for it’s original purpose: to empower the viewer in every way. Audiences will be wowed, they will be shocked, they’ll cheer in excitement. They will feel the rush of exhilaration and experience breathless sequences of kinetic entertainment as they take this journey with our heroes, and in the end they will believe that they are capable of great things, because they know it’s possible within themselves."

- B.C. Campbell

Writer/Director/Producer