****UPDATE****
TIER/TITLE CLARIFICATIONS IN UPDATE #1
The following paintings have been spoken for:
Tier 1 - Abstract 2
Tier 2 - Rainy
Who Are You?
I'm Robert Dossa. Or, Bob. Most people call me Bob.
I've been working in TV/Film for about 15 years, hopping around from random jobs/gigs at G4 (RIP), The Walt Disney Channel, Jerry Bruckheimer Television Productions, crewing up on dozens of indie productions, directing and editing short films and commercials (Microsoft, IfOnly, etc), and writing non-stop. As a writer, I've placed in the Nicholl Fellowship, The Austin Film Festival, The Slamdance Screenplay Competition, and The Page Awards, and was hired to adapt a novel into a film that was sadly never produced.
In short, I've done a whole bunch of things, but nothing this big. That really needs to change.
This project is something I've been working on since 2016. It's gone through dozens and dozens of iterations. I've met with literally hundreds of actors trying to find just the right fit. I've dedicated hundreds of hours just to get to this point. The next step, the most necessary addition to this project? You.
Who Else is Involved?
Well, potentially you.
Additionally, there are three fantastically wonderful actors that are excited to be a part of this.
This is Sara Young Chandler.
I originally met Sara during an audition for a contact lens commercial I directed last year. She's absolutely genuinely fantastic, and she's playing Samantha, the female lead.
This is Wolf Fleetwood-Ross.
Sara introduced me to Wolf, for which I am eternally grateful, because they as a team are just perfect. He's playing JP, our male lead.
This is Ed Keyani.
He came in to audition for this part back in September of 2017, and within minutes, I knew he was the guy for this. He's playing Albert, Samantha's father.
Why Do You Need All This Money?
Because ain't nothin in this life for free.
I'm putting up $15k of my own money to get this film off the ground. That can only go so far, and I'd really like to at least double that amount. With a total of $30k, I can make this film with a small crew and some amazing actors with a shooting schedule of 12-15 days.
If by chance we don't raise as much as we're hoping, life will go on, as well will the production. I wrote this movie with the idea that if everything fell apart, and I had nothing, I could still shoot this with just me and my camera. Every dollar raised will go into making this the best possible film that it can be.
As far as stretch goals are concerned, rarely if ever has there been an indie movie that said, "No, we don't need more money." There is always something more that can be done, always a new crew position that can be filled by two or three people instead of one incredibly exhausted person, always an easier shooting schedule, always the option of getting more/better gear on set and more experienced hands to help make sure everything runs smoothly. The truth is, $30k makes this movie possible. More would make it even better.
I went ahead and created a very basic breakdown of several different possible budget ranges and outcomes. They get a little more than optimistic towards the end, but this should give you a super basic idea of how indie film budgets work. This is again, based on a 12-15 day shooting schedule.
Why Make This?
Because horror films are awesome.
Horror is a genre that too often gets relegated to the same space as an amusement park. Too often they're cheap thrills meant to surprise you, excite you, scare you, but that's pretty much it. Horror can be so much more meaningful, as some of my favorite films have shown. It's a genre that can bend reality, that can play with supernatural as a compliment to nature, that can pull demons from within us and exorcise them. All good art should leave you different than you were before experiencing it. Horror films have the unique potential to change you, to scar you, to punch a hole in your soul, and leave you a different person than you were before. They can force you to look at the awful, the disturbing, the gruesome. But they can also show you how to deal with these terrible things, where you can find strength to fight these monsters off, and offer you a sense of resolve that you can carry with you for the rest of your life. They can be more than just a roller coaster. They can mold you into something new, something better. This is something that you can be a part of creating.
What Might Go Wrong?
Nothing. Relax.
In truth, film production is the practice of managing everything going wrong. But the reality is, my background is in just about everything. So if it means that I'm the only one producing this monstrosity, coordinating shooting schedules, lighting the set, creating the props, running sound and camera, directing the actors, editing the footage, creating the VFX, writing the score, and delivering a rad final product, it can be done. But it would be much better to have a team of awesome people to work with. An actual budget makes that possible.
What Do I Get Out Of This?
Firstly, and maybe most importantly, the satisfaction of knowing that you helped create something new in the world, and have potentially enriched the lives of people everywhere. But since most people prefer tangible things in exchange for money, I thankfully have some tangible things to give. I have had some success as an oil painter. I'm not famous. I'm not rich. But I've carved out my own little niche in the world of modern abstract/figurative expressionism, and I'm "giving" away your choice of oil paintings for some of the higher dollar amount perks. They are very much first come first served, as there is only one of each of these items in existence. If the painting you want is already taken, I will gladly create something new and fancy just for you, as well as send you a print of your original choice. This will involve communicating with me. I'm sorry.
****UPDATE****
The following paintings have been spoken for:
Tier 1 - Abstract 2
Tier 2 - Rainy
I Don't Have Any Money. What Else Can I Do To Make this Happen?
Spread the word. Tell five friends, and have them tell five friends, and that's like... ten people. Side note, I went to art school, not... math school.
Tell your family, siblings, cousins, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, acquaintances, well-wishers, co-workers, movie friends, your horror friends, your Facebook friends from high school you haven't seen in so long you wouldn't recognize them on the street, etc. The more people who can be a part of this team to get this thing made, the better.
Or if you want to help on set, you're more than welcome to volunteer. I'll be happy to tell you what to do. I'll even feed you. If you're a student and want to intern, I'll even try to find a way to make sure you earn school credit.
Thanks for taking a look at this crazy little thing.