UPinFLAMES is making their first 13 episode independent web-series beginning with a pilot episode.
Hello, I'm Vann Taylor, an Independent filmmaker student,you can click on the video link or my profile to learn more about me.
I started as a small business owner in upstate New York as a motion graphics editor creating small web ads, promos, corporate videos and TV ads for several small businesses. I also attended the New School of Radio and Television ,Now The New School Center for Media, that began my desire to become a filmmaker.
15 years ago I had an idea to write a novel for Shaft. In 2000, Shaft once again made it to the big screen, with Samuel L. Jackson assuming the role as Shaft. It was a great day for black people of all races..... Think about it!***
*** Funny Movie Quote
So, I began writing Shaft with the Jackson character in mind. It took 5 years to write. Suddenly, but not uncommonly, tragedy struck. In 2014, my home in an apartment building caught fire and I lost everything. My business, photography, video and audio gear, projects, personal work as well as personal things. including my 5 year Shaft Project all went up in flames. Two months later, I made it down to Austin,Texas. From the fires of tragedy, within one year, 'UPinFLAMES Independent Films' was born. The ashes of a 5 year book project became a brand new script. 'JOHN SHAFT'. What I hopelessly lost, ended up becoming an even stronger story and better character. No longer the old Shaft, but a completely new Shaft, for a new generation.
![]()
John Shaft is the story of JOHNATHAN DANIELS, a Special Situation Covert Specialists (SSCS) and wet team soldier forged out of a tragedy he has no memory of. Though raised and loved by an aunt and uncle living in the Fifth Ward District of Houston Texas, Johnathan Daniels struggles to piece together parts of memories that is painfully lost to him.
At times, and without warning, Johnathan has instant episodes which throws him into pain and sometimes rage as his brain fights to remember a life blocked by these severe headaches.
The more John struggles to remember, the more severe his headaches become. Whatever is suppressing his memories is also slowly killing him. However, along with those physically damaging memories, John also fights a persona which he begins to rely upon more and more to relieve the episodes.
But the more he relies on that persona, the more Johnathan begins to lose himself. In the end, only one will ultimately survive: Johnathan Daniels or John Shaft.
This is where you come in. I have been very blessed to be surrounded by very talented and creative people. They all saw the enthusiasm and vision and wanted to help enhance what I've created. As a result we are now ready to launch this campaign, and raise it's production value to bring you a new, completely unique and different character with a great storyline.
But we can’t do it alone, that's why we're hoping to partner with friends, fans and kind hearty strangers. The main reason for this is because to run a continuous series can take years of planing, writing and developing. But reaching out to fans and sharing the experience, a successful series can be launched in a fraction of the time. Plus, you will get to see the whole making of a series process and appreciate how your money is spent
We’ve designed the perks to be as cool, fun, and worthwhile as possible to the invested fans. Above all else, we’re making something we know people will be proud to be a part of. We know the story we want to tell, we know how we want to do it, and we figure if we weren’t willing to bet on it ourselves, why would anyone else?
Crowdfunding is an awesome way to make films today where you can to take part in helping us
achieve our goal and see our dream through. We want this campaign to really engage our fans, giving you as much access to the process as possible. ![]()
Oh! and Shaft could use a Bad-ass Ride...' Just Sayin' ![]()
Props and Wardrobe: we could use all types of props, Breakaway objects, or stunt props, such as balsa-wood furniture, or sugar glass (mock-glassware made of crystallized sugar) whose breakage and debris look real but rarely cause injury we need prop weapons. There are Set Dressing, Set Props, hand Props, Personal Item Props and Mechanical FX.
Production Value: First there is the Pre-Poduction . This makes or breaks any film or TV Series. It is by far the most important because that is where all of our hard work and and YOUR support come together to create TV magic. The right equipment, lighting, camera and crew makes all the difference.
Next there is the Post-Production phase of creating this Pilot, which usually takes longer than the actual shooting and can take several months to complete, because it includes the complete Editing, Visual FX, Color Correction, sound design, sound effects, ADR, foley, music and editing the soundtrack.
Location: We will be location scouting, hiring a casting director, and hiring all of the departments to make this series come to life. Every time you see a TV series, there are about 100 people to make that happen, so we need to spend some money hiring them.
Post-Production: This is culmination of all our other efforts. The film gets edited together. The music is composed and layered in. The soundtracks get added. During this phase, we get to assemble what will become the final product.
Stunt and Safety Gear: We want to provide stunt protective equipment and gear, from knee pads to fire gel, Rigging Gear to Hollywood level stunts. There is also the insurance cost. We want our actors safe, so we need to provide a standard of safety higher than any found in the independent film industry. So help us keep our actors safe, help us get real stunt people.
Indiegogo Fees: 'Nuff Said. We gotta' pay the bill.
Cast: some of the full budget will be spent on cast. Even though it's an independent film, we still want to pay people so they will show up to work!
Oh! and Shaft could use a Bad-ass Ride...' Just Sayin' ![]()
WHAT DO YOU GET??
We have put together a list of great perks and are constantly adding more! If by chance you don't see a perk for the amount that you want to contribute, send us a message and ask us for something. We may think it's a WONDERFUL idea and not only award you that perk, but add it
to the list for others to share!
WHAT YOU CAN"T GET:
![]()
RISK AND CHALLENGES
No venture comes without risk. Changes to the location, losing cast and crew members, and on-site accidents are all unpredictable possibilities. With those precautions in mind, we are taking every preventative measure to ensure that this production runs as smooth as possible. Backup locations, auxiliary crew members, and extensive safety protocols are just some of the measures that will taken.
Meet The Actors
![]()
Michael Odiari:
An ex-Collegiate athlete who transitioned into TV and Film. In 2015, Michael was part of the award winning production "Colossal" for the Dallas Theater Center. An avid workout enthusiast, motivational speaker, and model, Michael's also a host for the short-form web series Cookin' on a Dime. He is excited to be playing the role of John Shaft and looks forward to your support!
![]()
Leila Anastasia:
A native Texan Austinite, she has studied classical acting, and continues to remain diligent in the acting community. From local music videos and extra work, she has worked her way to being a Featured Extra in ABC's The Lying Game, to working as a Stand in on ABC's "American Crime." She is currently studying Spanish, and remains culturally ambiguous and diverse and is known to often fly internationally to contribute her time to volunteer work. Well trained is both dance and singing, alto and soprano ranges, and over 12 years experience in dance genres such as hip hop, ballet, salsa, and rumba.
![]()
Zack Scott:
He started training at the American Conservatory Theater in San Fransisco California at the age of 14. He has continued his training over the years. He currently studies the Meisner Technique at In The Moment Acting Studio in Austin Texas. He has acted in theater productions, feature films as well as numerous short films in his home state of California as well as in his new home town of Austin ,Texas. He is very excited to be part of John Shaft!
![]()
Sana Abdallah:
She is an up and coming entertainer based out of Austin, TX seeking to build her acting portfolio by being involved in the new Shaft Series. Of Palestinian descent, and fluent in Arabic, she was born and raised in Houston, TX and is ultimately a Texas girl at heart.
She is a self-proclaimed pop-culture junkie, loves any and everything to do with Entertainment, and she spends her down time studying and observing all that is music, television, and film. Sana studied at the University of Texas at Austin earning a Bachelor’s degree in English and Middle Eastern Studies. She is a passionate writer in her free time and is seeking to bring her creative nature and diverse background to the Shaft Series both on-camera and behind the scenes.
![]()
Wilredo Ruiz:
He's a native of New York City and has lived in Central Texas since 1999 after a rewarding 12-year career in the U. S. Military. While in central Texas, he had been working as a professional accountant before he recently decided to pursue his dream of being an actor. Since his decision, Wilfredo has played numerous roles in indie films, short films, and PSA's to include a re-occurring role in the series "Street Stories", by Brian Burns. Wilfredo is also an avid fan of superhero movies, comic books, baseball, and reading.
![]()
Liz Harmeson:
Liz Harmeson, not an actress by profession, has appeared in 3 seasons of the hit ABC series Friday Night Lights in numerous background extra type roles, as well as ABCs American Crime. She has appeared as a featured background extra in a music video (Angela Burns, Austin, Texas) and also a featured background extra in a short independent film, Professor Isles Lab, Austin, Texas. A native of Austin, Texas, Ms. Harmeson has lived her life in Texas and settled in Driftwood, Texas, on Onion Creek, a few miles from the famous Salt Lick. She graduated from Texas State, then Southwest Texas University, with her Bachelors in Health Information Management, holds the RHIA, CCS and CMT credentials, and has worked exclusively in Health Information Management at the Director/Manager level in the acute care hospital setting for 25 years, and remotely from home for 6 years before retiring.
![]()
Lawrence Sullivan: Lawrence Sullivan is an accomplished character actor with film appearances in Bronx Tale, Kids, Home Alone, Stealing America, and a recent featured role in The Other Self. Television appearances include the HBO hit series The Leftovers, and ABCs Nashville, Urban Cowboy, and American Crime. Lawrence has also recently appeared in the Reliant Energy Commercial as well as the Web Series "Crunch Time." He can be seen as a featured character in the music video by Don Allen "Talkin' Dirty."
![]()
Chris Dunn:
Meet Our Team So Far
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
I WANT TO DONATE, BUT I CAN'T
Some people just can't contribute, if you are not able to make a contribution that's fine! But that doesn't mean you can't help:
If you're not able to contribute, just spread the word and pass the campaign along to others. Share the post & video with as many people as you can so the vision can become a reality. Thanks for showing an interest in our project, we deeply appreciate it. Just use Indiegogo's share tools at the top!
Also, if you would like to donate or contribute gear, equipment, or talents or perhaps you're a set designer looking to help out and hang with us; you can contact us via email at- shaftseries@gmail.com.
You can also drop us a like on facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/vann.taylor.1
https://www.facebook.com/shaftseries/
We would like to give SPECIAL THANKS to our team, everyone who has helped us in any way big or small, and to our angel donors!
