An Introduction

Thank you for checking out the crowdfunding page for Scales! I'm very thankful for the support shown and extend my gratitude always. This feature film is the second collaboration between myself, Anthony Vander, and writer Joe Harvey.

How Do You Weigh Trust?

When I first met Joe Harvey, we connected as two people fuelled by our passion for storytelling and that has not changed. We made our debut feature film on a zero budget and both approached the film with blood, sweat and tears (literally). The debut film, Sweetboy, was an Official Selection at the HBO-sponsored American Black Film Festival and the San Francisco Black Film Festival, and recently had its UK TV premiere on London Live. The success of Sweetboy made us eager to work together again on Scales and that is where we need your help.

Join our team and support our Indiegogo campaign

Synopsis

Scales is a tense, claustrophobic drama that spends one evening with four characters, who are
trapped in a combustable boiling pot of an apartment.

American boxer, Darnell, his PR manager and girlfriend, Maria, Forbes-fallout Adam and drug dealer Keith are forced to question their relationships and loyalties, as sinister secrets come to the fore, threatening dangerous consequences.

Unsettling and unexpected, this dark tale of lies and manipulation will lead audiences on a voyeuristic and ill-fated journey that, like the four characters, their sensibility may not want to be a part of, but their curiosity certainly will, begging the question, 'How do you weigh trust?'

Why should you support us?

Scales has developed into a story we are absolutely itching to tell.  Sweetboy was made in two weeks on a sub-£10,000 budget and went on to feature at two festivals Stateside, as well as on UK television, receiving fantastic feedback in the process.  The ambition of the project and subsequent success, on such a modest budget, underlines the resourcefulness and attentive storytelling we value so highly.

Unlike Sweetboy, Scales is a single-location project, allowing the team to focus on a high quality
production. A superb cast is attached to the film, all of whom are eager to showcase their talents in this theatrical, character-driven work. Sweetboy left audiences reeling, with its dark tale of a failed Lothario, rounded off by a climatic gut-punch that stunned viewers. Scales is of a similar ilk, designed to provoke questions and leave audience members' jaws ajar. Having learned lessons and polished our skills in the process, we are confident that Scales will pack an even harder punch, if you choose to throw your weight behind it.

We're offering amazing awards. From dinner with the cast and crew, to speaking parts.

OKAY, BUT WHY ELSE SHOULD I BACK THIS PROJECT?

YOU WILL BE SUPPORTING UP-AND-COMING DIVERSE TALENT! 

How will this film be distributed?

We plan to screen the film on the international festival circuit to create momentum and buzz around the film and also share it with the world, before selecting the right distributors to assist in our VOD, home video and theatrical release. 

Cast and Crew

Jamie Bannermann / ADAM

Jamie Bannerman, a British born actor from Brighton trained at LAMDA and graduated in 1999. TV credits include Eastenders, playing PC Stuart Kent; Steve French in 999 Killer on the Line; Jenkins in Channel 5's Billie: Girl of the Future; George Hutchinson in Channel 5's Jack the Ripper; Jasper Shuringer in the Shoe Bomber reconstruction on the Documentary Channel; PC Jim Berry in a police reconstruction at The Bill studios; and Jeff Cook in the Seconds from Disaster series. He has appeared in over 20 short films which have won awards in Cannes and the Berlin film festivals

Jamie has also appeared in commercials for Walkers with Gordon Ramsey and Gary Lineker, MTV, Head and Shoulders, Smyths toy shop, Ask Ollie, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Puntagamer Beer, Prostate Cancer, Renault and Hungry House. 

This year Jamie will be the appearing as the lead part in the new British horror film Dead Fred alongside Sandra Dickinson and has just completed a feature film in Tenerife called One Glorious Sunset. You can also see him as the lead in the British gangster film Full English Breakfast. He has toured number one theatre venues with productions such as The Tempest and Robin Hood.

Kamal Simpson / KEITH

Kamal Simpson is a London based actor with a theatrical background in Meisner and Improv. Kamal began working in television after graduating from college.

His early credits include BBC sitcom After You've Gone and the Award winning ITV series Benidorm. As a young man, he took time to travel the world and live abroad before returning to the UK in 2014. He recently appeared in the multi award winning feature film Never Let Go by acclaimed Director Howard J. Ford and the soon to be released short Scripted by CBBC director Dan Berlinka. 

Nicola Roffe / MARIA

Nicola Roffe is a London born actress and action performer. Having trained at the BRIT School, she then went on to lead in The Secret World of Sam King - one of the first internationally recognised web series in conjunction with Universal.

Her TV/film and theatre credits include, Eastenders (BBC), MI High (BBC), Fast Girls (DJ Films) and Frantic Assembly's Dirty Wonderland. Nicola has also performed various stunts for several projects including for the BBC and KI Films

Anthony Vander / DARNELL

Anthony Vander is British director, actor, writer and producer. Anthony graduated from the prestigious Drama Centre London in 2009 with a BA Hons in Acting. As an actor, his first professional stage appearance was in a two hander opposite Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), followed by Helen opposite Penny Downie and Paul McGann at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in 2009.  

He toured the UK playing Mercutio in Love&Madness's production of Romeo and Juliet directed by Cheek by Jowl associate director Owen Horsely. Anthony also played the lead role in the European premiere of SIX ROUNDS by award winning African- American playwright John ADEkoje. Film credits include Fresh to Death and The Grandfather Paradox (Ealing Studios). In 2016, Anthony starred on television in the UK as the lead role of the Ryan/Sweetboy in the feature film Sweetboy, on London Live. Sweetboy had its première at The British Film Institute and also had its North American première at The American Black Film Festival. 

DIRECTOR / Nathan Hannawin

Nathan Hannawin directed his first feature documentary, Sleafords Mods - Invisible Britain whilst in his second year of university. Only possible through crowd funding, where over 80% of projects do not meet their target, Sleaford Mods - Invisible Britain achieved over 3 times its asking amount and has gone on to receive over 80 screenings in the UK & Ireland. Hannawin then joined the production UK18 as director of photography. UK18 is directed by Andrew Tiernan and stars Ian Hart, Jack Roth and Jean-Marc Barr.

WRITER / Joe Harvey

Joe Harvey is a 25 year old screenwriter, who wrote his feature length debut, Sweetboy, at 21, having recently graduated from the University of Southampton with a degree in Film Studies and English. Sweetboy went on to receive screenings at the American Black Film Festival, the San Francisco Black Film Festival and on London Live, where audiences were knocked back by the bleak, in-your-face storytelling, with darkly comic undertones, that has characterised his subsequent writings.

CINEMATOGRAPHER / Alex Boardman

Alex Boardman is a film-maker from London who has years experience working with a wide range of cameras and film equipment at a professional level. Alex works as a cinematographer, specializing in music videos and short drama films, and also videography work, covering events and filming & editing promotional videos for clients. Over the years Alex has built up a wide range of contacts in the film industry and has been able to work and learn with some of the most talented and experienced people in London. Alex and Nathan have collaborated on many projects before, and was Hannawin's first choice of DP

PRODUCTION HOUSE / Distortion Entertainment

In the space of just four years, Distortion Entertainment has gone from one breakthrough to another. Since its inception, Distortion Entertainment has been present at over six major film festivals, including Cannes, Venice and Berlin, to name a few. 

We believe in  producing risk taking independent films and also to be bold and fearless in our productions. We also believe in working and showcasing up and coming diverse talent. 

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Distortion Actors 

THE PERKS 

Scales is on Indiegogo to give everyone an opportunity to get involved.           

CHECK OUT THESE AMAZING PERKS! 

Get this T-Shirt from my debut feature film Sweetboy. Designed specially by Fangpunk. 

With the HOW DO YOU WEIGH TRUST PERK you get an invite to the WORLD PREMIERE OF THE TUTOR. 

Ever wondered what the vision of the film looks like on page? Well, take a signed SCALES SCRIPT with this perk - not to mention all of the above. 

OTHER WAYS TO HELP

You can help us by SPREADING THE WORD and SHARING on social media - to your friends, family and everyone you know. This will help us and we see this as a contribution in itself :) 

A HUGE thank you for supporting this project that is very close to my heart. 

THE SCALES FAMILY