The Story

Temptation nibbles and gnaws at the feet of two sisters in The Goblin Song, the dark musical fairy tale by director and NYU undergrad Nora Unkel. When Lizzie and Laura stumble upon the handsome Goblin King and his followers in the orchards behind their house, they’re enchanted – enraptured, even - by his allure. But when his gifts turn sour, can the sisters pull themselves from his grasp?

Why Donate?

A famous director once said - “There are two types of directors. One type has something to say. They have a statement and therefore make a movie to say said statement. The other kind has a question. They then make a movie to help them answer said question.”

 I find myself regularly falling into the second category. As I am still young, still unexperienced, still learning, I find it hard to have definitive things to tell an audience yet. I do, though, have many questions.

 I first decided to make The Goblin Song about three years ago after reading the original poem, “Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti. The imagery of her poem, the lyrical design of her verses, the love of the two sisters and much more, intrigued me to no end. She had many sexual undertones, many biblical and moral undertones, but none of which were said outright. I started to wonder what would happen if I took this original story and made it more about those undertones, more about those hidden themes. That’s when the idea began to spark.

 Soon my question was created. The question of temptation, how it is used, how it is abused, what happens when you succumb to it or when you fight against it. What happens if the roles are reversed? Instead of having a sexual woman luring men in to their deaths, what happens when instead it is men luring in women through seduction, temptation and manipulation? And most importantly, what do I want to say to young women of today about said issues?

I have been working on the film now for about three years and see it as the culmination of everything that I have learned in the last four years at film school. This film is showcasing everything that I want to continue making movies about- it is a musical because I grew up doing musical theatre, it is a fairy tale as I have always had a love of Disney and fairy tales, and it is in the Victorian era because I am a history minor and love the symbology of that time period.

The film, once completed, will be sent around the world to film festivals and producers, hoping for as much viewing as possible as well as a possible distribution deal. The film is also the beginning of my career and will be a stepping stone for me to enter the professional film world.

If you would like to support me in this endeavor, I would appreciate it more than words can say. The support of my family, friends, teachers and mentors will not only allow me the physical or financial support but also the emotional one, knowing that people are willing to help me.

 - Nora Unkel

Lead Actresses Performing for the Teaser Trailer Premiere Event; Oct 5th, 2013

What We're Doing Different

We’re taking the musical style of the film in a whole new direction – this isn’t your typical “broadway” style musical with tap dancers and pauses for applause. With composer Ben Nelson’s help, we’ve developed a feel for the music that will meld into the rest of the film and not take away from the dramatic issues. For that, we’ve decided to look at musicals that broke the genre, such as Sweeney Todd, with its gruesome, terrifying melodies and lyrics, and Spring Awakening, which creates an eerie, beautiful and mysterious tone through its music.

Even the recording style is unique. Taking a cue from 2012’s Les Misérables, we’ve decided to record all the singing live – giving the musical numbers a feel of urgency and immediacy, like you’re right there with the characters; like their fears and intimacy are real.

The Goblins themselves are new creatures – not drawn from worn-out mythical tropes; but rather, a twist on the classical Sirens of Homer’s Iliad. Using Pan’s Labyrinth-style prosthetics, our art director Tal Stowell has designed a race of beautiful, creepy, alluring Goblin men. Along with a blending of genres, and a few other tricks up our sleeves, we aim to make The Goblin Song like nothing you’ve ever seen.

In addition, the Davis High School Madrigal Singers and the Advanced Treble Choir will be singing all the background vocals for the film. The Davis Musical Theatre Company are major supporters as well - we're striving to make The Goblin Song not just an NYU project, but a Davis community project as well.

Cast

Goblin King - Cody Craven

Cody Craven is a Davis, California, Alumni. Cody went on to the Pacific Conservatory for Performing Arts to study acting and singing. He now works for Disney Cruise Line as a Mainstage Performer traveling throughout the Bahamas singing and dancing. He hopes to continue his career on stage and on film in Los Angeles and New York after his great voyage around the Bahamas has ended. He is thrilled to be a part of The Goblin Song team and cannot wait until March when he gets to live sing in front of the camera and work with his childhood friend, Nora Unkel.

Lizzie – Melanie Herrera

Melanie Herrera is currently a senior at New York University majoring in Drama at the Tisch School for the Arts with a minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. She studied musical theatre with the New Studio on Broadway for 2.5 years before deciding to finish her education with the Stonestreet Acting Studio for Film and Television. Melanie has worked with director Nora Unkel on several other projects including short films for the yearly Tisch 48 Film Festival. These films include "Citizen Jane" and "A Mail Tale", which won best picture in Spring of 2013. She is also a member of the NYU Reality Show, directed by Liz Swados and Preston Martin. She is very excited to be a part of this project, as she believes in Nora's abilities and visions to the fullest! She would like to thank everyone who is supporting "The Goblin Song" as well as every member of the cast and crew who is working hard to make this film come to life!

Laura - Claire Glassford

Claire Glassford is now a New York University alumna. She graduated from the school this December with a BFA in Drama from Tisch School of the Arts. She spent two years of primary training and one year of advanced training in the New Studio on Broadway. She completed her studies in the Stonestreet Film Studio and is currently an employed actor in New York. She is extremely thrilled to be working with this cast and crew of wonderful people. Thank you Nora! Other credits include: The Frogs (La MaMa), Show Me Real (NYMF), and Glory Misplaced (Looking Glass Theatre). You can find more information on her website: claireglassford.com

We are thrilled to also be including 12 Goblin Men who will be coming from Davis, Sacramento and San Francisco dance companies and schools. They will be a wonderful addition to our team.

Crew

Director/Writer/Executive Producer - Nora Unkel

Nora Unkel is a senior at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, in the Undergraduate Film and Television program. She is also minoring in Music and History in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is studying to become a screenwriter and director while also developing an expertise in production and post-production sound. Nora hails from Davis, California where she grew up surrounded by the arts and performing in many musical theater productions. It was on the stage that she first discovered her love for storytelling and characters. At NYU her love for music quickly developed into a love for sound recording, the making of musicals and sound editing. She has worked on numerous productions as a production sound mixer, producer, writer, director, post production sound designer and mixer. She has directed several short films and music videos. Nora has also interned with the Global Poverty Project, a charity organization run by Hugh Jackman. Nora currently works 4 jobs but hopes that a career in film will help her defy the starving artist stereotype.

Producer - Zac Gobetz

Zac Gobetz is currently enrolled in his final year at NYU Tisch where he balances schoolwork with the production of his fellow upperclassmen’s thesis projects, internships,and various independent productions in the city. He has been trained in multiple formats of cameras, ranging from digital to film. He has decided to pursue a career in producing, production organization, and logistics. He knows that this project is going to be an outstanding privilege to make and is working hard to bring it to full fruition.

Producer - Casey Sincic

Casey Sincic moved to New York four years ago to pursue the universal dream of working in show business. Since then he's gained an MFA from New York University, produced numerous short films, and begun work on features. He lives in Brooklyn, where he blends in by sitting on stoops and complaining about things.

Producer - Bonnie Wolstoncroft

Bonnie Wolstoncroft is continuing her role as supportive mom ... this time from 3,000 miles away. Using the skills honed in 35 years as an environmental lawyer, in addition to working on various of Nora's musical theatre productions; choir organizations; soccer teams; and community affairs, Bonnie is coordinating with many of the wonderful volunteers in Davis California who are helping to make The Goblin Song a reality.  Good thing she's retired now!

Director of Photography - Cory Fraiman-Lott

Cory Fraiman-Lott- was born and raised in Charlottesville, VA, Cory spent his youth cleaning his room and making short movies about latexgloves filled with water. Now finishing up the cinematography concentration at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and with training at Schumacher Camera and Essanay Lighting Studio, two notable rental houses in the Chicago area, Cory has applied his eye for aesthetics to dozens of student and professional projects. In his spare time, Cory enjoys cats and red meat, but never together. He is thrilled to continue his collaboration with his incredibly talented friends.

Production

Sound Mixer - Jonathan Fang

Jonathan Fang, having changed majors and educational programs throughout all four years of his education at New York University: graduated as a musician, an engineer, and a filmmaker.  Having first studied in the College of Arts and Science as a Music and Cinema Studies double major, Jonathan transferred into the Steinhardt School of Music studying music technology and classical voice before transferring yet again to Tisch Film.  Professionally as proficient and varied as his academic background, Fang has sung on records, production sound mixed features, and destroyed countless fruits all in the name of foley.  His work has been showcased in various independent film festivals and on television screens across the US.  Fang's rare combination of technical craft and artistry makes him one of few production sound mixers perfect to preserve and record the dynamic performances in The Goblin Song. 

Music Supervisor - Chloe Jury Fogel

Chloe Jury-Fogel is a senior in Tisch studying Film and Television. She has produced and assistant directed several intermediate and advanced films throughout her time at NYU, but would love to write, direct, and act as well. Music Producer is the perfect job for Chloe because she grew up playing piano and guitar, and has been performing in musical theater almost her whole life. As Music Producer, Chloe will be main boss-woman in charge of the composer and orchestrator for the film, and will oversee the live music recording and singers/musicians on set. She is so excited to be combining the two greatest passions in her life and to be going back to her home turf in Northern California for the making of Goblin Song. Also because of the Mexican food. She also happened to once be Nora's roommate, and knows all of the songs that Nora likes to sing in the shower. She may even have incriminating snoring videos. She thanks you for your support.

Composer - Benjamin Nelson

Ben Nelson has been playing with cameras and musical instruments since he was five years old.  It made sense, then, several years later, when he left the green hills of Knoxville, Tennessee and headed for New York University.  He is now a senior majoring in film and television production, and relishes every opportunity to work with his talented peers to create something amazing.  Ben is currently producing his thesis film, Karkass Karts, as well as writing the music for Nora Unkel's The Goblin Song.

Where Your Money's Going

Production: In order to make this film a success, much of our budget has to go to the physical production of making the film. This includes everything from what the actors will be wearing, the camera we are shooting on and food and lodging for the cast and crew. All of the money will be coming from the director, Nora Unkel, who has worked four jobs in the last three years in order to pay for this endeavor, as well as donations from friends and family and sponsors from California and New York City.

Transportation: $7,000. This includes plane fare, gas and tolls for ground transportation. This will allow us to bring 15 of our crew members from New York City to Sacramento, California. More crew would be helpful, but this is currently all that production can afford.

Equipment:

• Camera and accessories: $4,000
  
• Grip and Electric: $2,500
  
• Sound: $1,500.
  

Costumes: $3,000. This includes 7 Victorian dresses as well as costumes for 13 Goblins.

Make-up: $1,000. This includes beauty make up for Lizzie and Laura as well as make up for all of the Goblins creating them into the mythological woodland creatures that will sell the film.

Production Design: $500. This is to make the Goblin Lair and Victorian House feel full and real. Much of the material is being donated which allows us to make this number so small.

Food and lodging: $500. Most of our lodging and food is coming in the form of donations from friends and family. This is why we are choosing to film in Davis, California.

Post-production:

• Festivals: $1,000. This includes all of the festivals written above as well as a few others (Each charges $0-$100 per application).
  
• Colorist: $500.
  
• Post-production Sound: $500
  

Total budget: $22,000

"But then why is the Indiegogo campaign only for $11,000?"

Our Director, Nora Unkel, has been working 4 jobs for the last 3 years in order to pay for as much of the film as she can. That, with generous In-Kind donations (as listed below in our next section) make it possible for us to only have to ask for half of our estimated budget.

Check out the ways we've been minimizing the costs below-

Other Ways You Can Help

Some people just can’t contribute, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help.

Spread the word! Share the link to this fundraiser with your family, friends, business associates, and random strangers you pass on the streets. Invite everybody you know to join the facebook group, and follow our instagram and twitter to receive regular updates about the progress of the film. Go on a hunger strike until we've raised the funds we need to make this happen.

For Larger Financial Donations, we can offer tax write offs! We have partnered with a fiscal sponsorship non-profit called From The Heart Productions. Any larger donations can be sent through them and be written off in your taxes next year! We will also be utilizing this for large meal and supply donations.

Financial donations can be from Title Sponsorship, Regular Sponsorship to more individualized Sponsorship. Please contact Nora or Casey if you would like to Sponsor a Department (Each department has its own budget, and you would receive the credit of ex. “Camera Department Sponsor” as well as a “Special Thanks” in the credits). You can also Sponsor a Cast/Crew Member (each crew member costs a lot of money to bring over from New York City. To sponsor a crew member, you would be paying for their transportation - $400 - and would have the opportunity to come on set to watch us work and receive an “Associate Producer” credit)!

For People Around the Davis Area:

A few other ways that you can help out that do not require a financial donation are more in terms of physical support. We are still looking for Lodging- houses where we can house our cast and crew during the week of March 14th-24th.

We also will be needing Meals and Snacks - We need to feed our crew 3 meals a day for the entire week. This adds up. If you were interested, we would love to show your our meal schedule (meals can range from breakfast, lunch or dinner for a group of 20-50 people, depending on the day). Sign up for one of those slots and feed some eager, hungry people!

Another is Ground Transportation - Do you have an extra car sitting around that we could use for the week? Or have some extra time on your hands and would want to get involved helping us move people to and from locations?

We are still looking for many Art Supplies - We have a large list of art and costume supplies that we need for the film. This ranges from tree trimmings to baskets to jewelry. For a more in depth list, contact Nora and she’ll send it over!

Finally, we will need a lot of physical assistance during the week and the weeks prior. Some of the jobs that we are looking to fill are:

• Sewing Help
  
• Prop Makers
  
• Bloggers
  
• Drivers
  
• Cooks
  
• Hair and Make Up Artists
  
• Art Assistants
  
• On Set Assistants
  

If any of these interest you, please let me know and we’ll send you over a schedule!

Everyone who donates or helps will be receiving a “Special Thanks” credit in the film as well as possibly others! You would also receive a DVD of the finished film and invitations to the California and New York City premieres!

Every little bit helps.