IN AN OVERPOPULATED FUTURE, AN ELDERLY WOMAN HAS TO OUTSMART A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WHO HAS BEEN SENT TO ‘EXIT’ HER.
SYNOPSIS
Set in an overpopulated future a diligent young government official, named Zeke, visits a farm on the coast of Britain to ensure its inhabitants are complying with the government's new ‘Exit Plan’ policy, where anyone over the age of 80 not living with relatives are ‘Exited’ to make space for future generations.
But when he finds himself alone with Martha, the elderly woman, he soon realises she has a plan of her own.
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WHY THIS FILM?
The idea for The Exit Plan stemmed from wanting to pose the question ‘Who has the right to choose whether one life is worth more than another?’ Every day governments are making decisions for the ‘greater good’ at the expense of a minority, and the world in this film is no different, with Zeke blindly believing that sending the elderly to be ‘exited’ is to their benefit.
The creative team behind this film have had a personal and professional friendship spanning nearly a decade and have been waiting for the right project to collaborate on, and THE EXIT PLAN is it. Making this film would represent a huge stepping stone in our careers and allow us to showcase what we do best.
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WHO'S ALREADY ON BOARD?
The film is written by Ella Cook and directed by Angus Wilkinson, with Cinematography by Jon Muschamp (whose short film ‘Poles Apart’ starring Helena Bonham Carter won the BAFTA for Best Short Animated film in 2018) and edited by Caitlin Spiller (1st assistant Editor JUDY, WOLF CREEK 2).
The film is being executive produced by British Entrepreneur Stephan Allesch-Taylor and Bafta award-winning screenwriter Craig Pearce (Moulin Rouge, Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet).
WHAT WILL YOUR MONEY GO TOWARDS?
Making films is EXPENSIVE and we have done our best to keep costs to the bare minimum.
THE EXIT PLAN will be a 4-day-shoot on location in Chichester - during this some of the costs we need to cover include:
- Camera, Sound and Lighting Hire
- Set dressing, Costume and Make-up
- Location Fees
- Accommodation
- Food (an army marches on its stomach)
- Transport costs: van/car hire and petrol
- Wages for our brilliant team (Apart from the Producer, Writer and Director who are all donating their time as collaborators i.e. unpaid).
- Actor's fees
- Insurance
On either side of this we will need to cover:
- Recce Costs
- Post Sound/Picture/Grading/VFX
- Festival Submissions
- Music licensing
THE TEAM
WRITER - ELLA COOK
Ella is a writer and development assistant at The Development Partnership. Prior to this she gained development experience with Heyday Films and Catalyst Global Media. For stage her written work includes DRAWN (2Fit, Theatre N16), MISS SARAH (Zoo Venues, Edinburgh Fringe Festival), THE FEAR OF HAPPINESS (Sprung Festival - AUS), BLOOD & BONE (Vault Festival) and LEMON THYME (Traverse Theatre). In 2017 Ella was also shortlisted for the Endemol Shine Smart For a Girl TV Writing Competition in Australia. THE EXIT PLAN is Ella’s first short film.
DIRECTOR - ANGUS WILKINSON
Angus is a theatre/film director focusing predominantly on new work. He completed his post-graduate studies at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts, majoring in Directing. Since 2014 he has assisted for auteur directors including: Baz Luhrmann, BAFTA award-winning Director Shekhar Kapur and BAFTA award-winning Writer & Producer Craig Pearce. In 2018 he was Associate Director on Michael Kunze’ new musical ‘Matterhorn’, which ran an extended sell-out season. He was also Co-Producer and Associate Director on the sell-out Vaults Festival production of Blood & Bone (2017), which received development funding from The Barbican Centre and Arts Council England. He directed 'Miss Sarah' at Zoo Venues at the EdFringe (2015) for Cicada Studios. In 2014 & 2015 he was Creative Director for two charity galas at The National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney engaging Mel Gibson, the Australian Prime Minister and three-time Olivier-award-winner Philip Quast to be key speakers and performers. For film he has directed the Triple J produced music video clip ‘No Sound’ for Willow and was the producer and director of a behind the scenes video for the TNT series ‘WILL’, called ‘To be or not to be’. Angus is a sessional lecturer at the University of Creative Arts in Acting & Performance.
PRODUCER - JAMES BUCKINGHAM
James is an award-winning writer/ director/ producer who has been making short-form content for over four years. Originally starting out as an actor on Australian television, he has since moved behind the camera working across a number of roles including producer’s assistant and as part of assistant directing teams.
He has produced and directed a number of music videos for bands, including Nova and the Experience and Nocturnal Tapes, working with major record labels in the process.
His short film, To Be A Warrior, was a Tropfest Semi-Finalist (Australia) and is currently making its way around the festival circuit. It recently showed at the London Lift-Off festival where it received an Honorable Mention and also received an Honorable Mention at the London-Worldwide Comedy Short Film Festival AUTUMN 2018.
DOP - JON MUSCHAMP
Jon is an award-winning Cinematographer based in London, UK. He spent 5 years gaining valuable experience as a camera assistant and then studied Cinematography at the prestigious National Film and Television School in England. Both his graduation films had success around the festival circuit with COMEBACK KID premiering at the London Film Festival and received an RTS award for Best Cinematography. POLES APART won Best Animated Short at the BAFTA's, Edinburgh's McLaren award the Annie's, as well as screening at many international festivals. Jon recently shot his debut indie-feature film, THE FLOOD, as well as continually working on exciting music videos and commercials.
EDITOR - CAITLIN SPILLER
Caitlin Spiller is an emerging film editor who since graduating from The Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) in 2012 has worked alongside and been mentored by world leading and award-winning editors - Jill Bilcock (ROMEO + JULIET, MOULIN ROUGE), Thelma Schoonmaker (RAGING BULL, THE DEPARTED) and more recently Melanie Oliver (LES MISERABLES, THE DANISH GIRL). Caitlin has edited numerous award-winning short films, documentaries, and music videos that have gone on to enjoy a steady run at festivals, both nationally and internationally. Caitlin made her feature film debut as Editor in 2017 on THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL, a period action/adventure drama about one of Australia’s most infamous outlaws.
DESIGNER - MARTELLE HUNT
Trained at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, Martelle is a practising artist with over 7 years experience across Theatre, Opera and Film. Martelle’s work has earned her rave reviews and award nominations across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and London. She was nominated for the 2015 APDG Award for Emerging Designer for Stage (The Rivers of China) and the 2016 Sydney Theatre Award for Best Costume Design for Independent Theatre (Inner Voices).
Film and Television includes The Interpreter (Continuance Productions) Tomasino Brothers and Tales from the Table (Aardvarks Anonymous) Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries (Every Cloud Productions)
Opera includes The Tender Land (Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne)
Theatre includes After you (Adelaide Fringe Festival) A Winning Hazard (The Finborough Theatre) Night Slows Down (KXT, Sydney), A View from the Bridge, This Much is True, The Village Bike, Inner Voices, Babes in the Woods (The Old Fitz Theatre, Sydney), Frankenstein, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, The Rivers of China (Theatre Works, Melbourne).
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