• The Concept
• The Plot
• Why Animation?
• The First Ten Minutes - Animatic Cut
• What We Need
• The Perks
• Beyond the Contribution
  
  

    I read Lovecraft for the first time by accident. It was a strange chain of events that started the most important project of my life.

   When I was fifteen, I was listening to Metallica's "Call of Ktulu", and that strange name made me curious. I searched on the internet and read about Lovecraft, the monster, the story ... But I didn't think much more about it.
   Months later, I don't know how or why, the name mysteriously returned to my mind: Cthulhu.
   I was going to buy the book on the Internet, but my father stopped me and said, "Look, the book is in the library". So I looked at the top shelf of the library and there was this row of very old white booklets. When I took the book, it was small, ruined, with a really bad cover and yellowed pages. Suddenly I was reluctant to read it. Nevertheless, that night, I started reading.   I read it overnight. I was sorry to find that the story was very short, 33 pages, but immediately afterwards it began another one: "The Shadow Over Innsmouth". I was shaken by those stories, and they became a fixed idea in my mind.

   During high school I started thinking of making a movie about Lovecraft and his creatures... Searching the Internet, I didn't find anything faithfully representing the story of Cthulhu or the inhabitants of Innsmouth. So I started writing the script, dutifully following the two stories and weaving them together with caution.

   After many years the script was ready, but I've realized it was just an utopian idea...

Or maybe not?

   I got some notions of 3D animation and doing the movie in this way seemed like the best approach. So I assembled a team of designers, 3D modelers, animators and we started to work on this teaser trailer...

  In 1926, a young student finds, among documents left to him by his deceased great-uncle, a clay statuette representing a strange monster... From the notes of his uncle, he learns that the sculpture is the work of contemporary artist Henry Wilcox, who made it after awakening from a nightmare. Driven by his strong curiosity, the young man begins to connect several stories, like puzzle pieces coming from different places and different times.

  What combines the delirious nightmares of a young artist, the report of an elderly New Orleans police inspector, the story of a Greenland expedition, and the diary of a Norwegian sailor who died in mysterious circumstances?

   What is the unholy Cult of Cthulhu that unites all these stories?

   In parallel, another student travels with the intention of visiting the most characteristic location in Massachusetts. He arrives in the sinister harbor town of Innsmouth, whose gloomy and mysterious citizens hide an enormous and unspeakable secret...

   Between the walls of those houses, horror awaits the innocent prey...

   While we were writing the script we realized the impossibility of making the film in live action, at least in a satisfactory and professional way for our means. Setting everything in 1920's America (and we're Italians …) is quite impossible for us. It would be just as impossible to create locations such as the fantastical R'lyeh, the foreboding Innsmouth and many others - not to mention Cthulhu himself!

   Animation seemed the solution to the problem. Animation affords a greater, more precise style, as well as being more artistic and functional to the story.

   An animatic is an animated storyboard. Boards are cut together with the correct timing and pace of the film. They include basic sound effects, dialogue recordings and scratch soundtrack.

   Take a look!

   When the idea of bringing Cthulhu and the inhabitants of Innsmouth to life came into our minds – it was 2011- we started to organize the workflow in every single detail.  

   We decided to start with small steps, which is why the campaign goal is "low" (compared to the budget normally needed in such productions). But nothing prohibits us from overcoming our goals and moving in leaps and bounds!

   The first step, is to realize the concepts for every visual aspect, which will be the basis for the creation of 3d models (characters, locations, props, etc), and to draw a precise storyboard of every shot. Basically, we need professional artists!  

Almost a third of the estimated budget
will be allocated to the realization
and delivery of rewards.

   These perks were carefully imagined by our team. Some of them are limited perks, due to manufacting and shipping cost – so hurry up! 

   For a more detailed description of the content of each reward check the column to the right.

   Here they are!

   As a demonstration of our gratitude,  we will add your name to the credits of the movie! We hope this list will be VERY LONG!

(This perk will also be included in all the other perk options.)

       A small gift for you: a postcard direct from the dark and unholy sunken city of R'Lyeh!

   Plus you will recieve our beautiful desktop wallpaper.

Art by Domenico "Domeddi" Esposito

   Here's the movie! If you want to be the first to have a look (and listen!) to the finished product, this is the reward for you! You will receive a digital download of the movie and soundtrack! Along with desktop wallpaper, of course!

* Cover designs subject to change*

   If you prefer to have a physical copy, here it is!
   A Blu-Ray copy of the film, in addition to the Digital Download of the Soundtrack, the Desktop Wallpaper and the postcard!

   If you want a DVD copy instead, you can send a private message and, depending on the number of requests, it will be added as an option.

   Are you a proud Cultist? Show it to the world with this beautiful t-shirt! Plus you will receive the Digital Download of the Original Soundtrack and the Movie Blu-Ray! 

   T-shirts are printed with a precise and professional screen printing method, which guarantees the output of every detail of the design.

Art by Dartworks

   In addition you will also receive a beautiful print of our Master!

   Print Size:  20x30 cm /  7,87x11,8 inches

Art by Lorenzo Scipioni

   For the most courageous we propose this beautiful  art poster of Our Dark Lord Cthulhu! And as a reward for your courage, we add, not only the Blu-Ray and the Original Soundtrack CD but also the t-shirt and the Art Print!

   Poster size: 42 x 60 cm / 16.5 x 23.6 inches

Art by Antonio De Luca​

   Last October we joined the Inktober challange, but with a little variation... We did the Inkthulhu!
   Here are ten of the best drawings made by our Lead Artist Domeddi, printed on fine and high-quality paper.
   Plus the Digital Download of our Artbook!
   You will also recive the Art Poster, the Art Print, the Blu-Ray, a t-shirt, the desktop wallpaper and the Original Soundtrack CD.

   Prints Size: 15x20 cm /  5,8x8,3 inches

* Cover designs subject to change*

   Choose this perk if you want to receive an exclusive artwork book of the movie. As soon as the campaign ends, we will start working on the concept art of the movie. We will then put the best of that art in a beautiful book!

      It will be at least 200 pages long, 21 x 30 cm \ 8,2 x 11,8 inches, with hardcover.

   This perk also includes the Blu-Ray, the Original Soundtrack CD, the Art Poster, the Art Print, ten Postards, the t-shirt and the desktop wallpaper.

*Box design subject to change*

   This is only for the best cultist among you all...
   A really great, beautiful, unholy, dark, big boxset! In this box you will find: the Blu-Ray, the Original Soundtrack CD, a Postcard, ten Inkthulhu Postards, the Art Poster, the Art Print, the beautiful Artwork Book, TWO t-shirts and...

   A wonderful Hand-Painted Resin Statue of the Great Old One Cthulhu, full of details! 

 On your desk, on your bedside table, on your altar dedicated to the Great Old One ... Put this beautiful reproduction of the hand-painted resin of the great Cthulhu wherever you want!

   Can you prove you are a real Cultist?

   The statue is 19 cm \ 7,4 inches tall and it will be hand-painted in dark grey with pale green details!

   This is a limited perk!

   The film is based not only on "The Call of Cthulhu", but also on "The Shadow Over Innsmouth".

   Which of the two stories do you prefer? With this reward you can choose one of two hand-painted glass plates! Along with it, the Cthulhu Ultimate Boxset will come to your home with all the rewards contained inside!

Glass size: 50 cm / 19,6 inches in diameter​

Art by WormholePaintings

   Don't know which of the painted glass plates to choose? Choose both! With this reward you will not only receive both of them, but everything included in the Cthulhu Ultimate Boxset.

   Plus we'll add a ticket to the Movie's Premiere!

   You, like us, strongly believe in this project.
   You, like us, want to see the world created by Lovecraft come to life.
   You, like us, will become fully part of this project.
   By choosing this special reward you will receive all the rewards listed above.
   Additionally, you will be credited as an Associate Producer, with preview access to movie sequences. You will also be able to choose a free reward from a second fundraising campaign.

   You will be our Outer God.

   This movie started with just one person. Now we're growing, but we need to keep our community growing. So, how can you help us bring this movie to life? Not only donating for the campaign, but also sharing this page with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

   Follow us on our Facebook page where you can find information and all of the movie's updates.  

   We really appreciate your help!

   Cthulhu fhtagn!

Risks and challenges

   Our main challenge is time.

   To achieve this movie we need especially time. That's it. 
   As we've already said before, an animated feature film is not easy to make, but we can do it.
   The main risk is to not be able to finish the movie before the deadline we gave to ourself.

   Now we need to complete all the pre-production process, such as artworks, storyboards and voiceovers. We hope to do that in 3-4 months. 
   Then we can move to the full animation process.

   Sooner or later, we are going to finish this movie!