Indiegogo is committed to accessibility. If you have difficulty using our site, please contact support@indiegogo.com for assistance or view our accessibility notice by clicking here

This campaign is closed

THE SIDE HUSTLE: Even murder won't get you ahead

Before hiring a hitman to claim your husband's life insurance, make sure he's actually a hitman.

You may also be interested in

Closed
Closed
Closed
Closed
Closed

THE SIDE HUSTLE: Even murder won't get you ahead

THE SIDE HUSTLE: Even murder won't get you ahead

THE SIDE HUSTLE: Even murder won't get you ahead

THE SIDE HUSTLE: Even murder won't get you ahead

THE SIDE HUSTLE: Even murder won't get you ahead

Before hiring a hitman to claim your husband's life insurance, make sure he's actually a hitman.

Before hiring a hitman to claim your husband's life insurance, make sure he's actually a hitman.

Before hiring a hitman to claim your husband's life insurance, make sure he's actually a hitman.

Before hiring a hitman to claim your husband's life insurance, make sure he's actually a hitman.

Victoria Kodai
Victoria Kodai
Victoria Kodai
Victoria Kodai
3 Campaigns |
Los Angeles, United States
$0 USD 0 backers
0% of $150,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Highlights
Mountain Filled 3 Projects Mountain Filled 3 Projects

"Fed up and tired with struggling to maintain a middle class existence, Jenifer wants change. She mistakes a twenty something business analyst for a hitman and hires him to kill her husband for the insurance money."

* * *

The Side Hustle is a feature film that explores the darker impulses of the human mind through a unique visual style of storytelling. Inside each character lies the capacity to do evil. Some embrace those darker impulses fully and some do not. Each character lives in a world they have manifested for themselves and which reflects their inner world, which in turn reflects the evolving darkness throughout the film.

* * *

There was a point within the recent collective memory where an average family could live comfortably with one reasonably skilled parent working. They could put away money for retirement or their children’s education. They paid off their homes and cars. They worked at the same company most of their lives and received a gold watch at the end of their career. That is simply not the case anymore. Most families are not able to save for a rainy day much less than retirement or the exorbitant cost of education that many may never be able to pay off in their lifetimes. Most workers change companies if not careers within five years. In many areas young people have simply been priced out of the housing market and have been relegated to a lifetime of renting. All the while the cost of renting a home is skyrocketing. Layoffs are the normal course of regular business leaving workers with a profound sense of income insecurity and left to constantly speculate if they will be able to pay the rent and put food on the table.

 

 

There is a persistent myth that if you work hard enough you will be part of the wealthy or at least comfortable class. Most Americans believe that their situation will improve as long as they keep working harder -- Additionally, the myth persists that there is an endless supply of money. That is simply not the case and as the 1% gather more of the money the 99% are left battling over the scraps of what’s left.

 

 

 

How can this be healthy for the average American? It simply is not. Self harm, drug addiction, suicides and the inability to make good decisions are a symptom of the chronic stress that most Americans feel on a daily basis. Families are struggling to maintain a minimal lifestyle under constant threat of that being pulled out from underneath them either by a cost of living increase, a layoff, or the antagonistic relationship that consumers have with Corporate America. It is a relationship that if not handled properly could lead to significant costs. 

 

 

So why not have a side hustle? Why not have something that gives you hope? An endeavor that may get you out of the grind to be part of the wealthy class and alleviate the stress. But how far would you go? Would your side hustle be murder? It’s quite simple, really. You kill someone and you get the insurance money. That used to be a viable but despicable path to wealth. But in today’s economy even murder can’t get you ahead. 

 

 

 

The Side Hustle is the type of film that lends itself to a very visual style of storytelling. It is an exploration of the darker impulses of the human mind. Inside each character lies the capacity to do evil. Some embrace those darker impulses fully and some do not. Each character lives in a world they have manifested for themselves and which reflects their inner world. 

 

The light and dark have meaning in western civilization. From a dark cave in an ancient Greek civilization to the towering shiny skyscrapers of London and New York, light and darkness represents the mythical good and bad; hope versus despair, creation versus destruction. Certain scenes in The Side Hustle have little room for gray, only the high contrast white and black. It is as if the darkness is given a breath of life becoming a character in and of itself. It exists to eat the light until it is gone. It is at this point that the film ends.

 

 

 

Jennifer and George; two sides of the same coin. They are angry that their life has not turned out the way they had wanted. Through the course of the film their anger grows as does the high contrast shadows that fall around them like the treacherous thoughts in their mind. Increasingly harsh lighting represents George and Jennifer’s inner struggle as eventually their humanity falls away leaving in its place only darkness and shadow self. George and Jennifer’s personal space is minimalist with few items of value or meaning. Bits of trash lay strewn about representing a feeling of lack that has followed them since childhood. It is an empty space in their hearts, void of meaning, color and warmth.

 

As the The Side Hustle starts, Jennifer and George seem relatively normal and the aesthetic reflects that with more modern film lighting, color and shot angles. However, as the film progresses as well as the crime we see the aesthetic change and adapt into the more traditional film-noir tropes of harsh lighting and camera angles.

 

 

 

Color has always had an emotional context to it whether assigned or inherent. Color in film can elicit an emotional response or direct their viewers attention to a particular element in the shot. For Jennifer she is social, dynamic but also conflicted. She is also the femme fatale, beautiful but deadly. Her color palette will be orange/teal expressing both her beauty and her inner conflict. George is a man who is out of sorts. He is not quite right and does not fit into most social situations. His color palette will be green/yellow. For both Jennifer and George the lightness of those colors decrease as the film moves on. Color saturation will be low reflecting the feeling of lack that the characters feel.

 

But not all of the characters are quite as devoid of humanity like Jennifer and George. Their lighting is softer, gentler and lighter depending on their inner spectrum. Their world has more color and joy. It is a reflection of the hope they have for their life. It may be that the darkness within Jennifer and George spreads to other characters and overtakes them, but they are still hopeful right up to the end. 

 

The characters in The Side Hustle do not live in a world all of their own making. They are all influenced by things outside of themselves such as environment, social pressures and broader societal influences. It is important for the audience to see these influences, from the dirty corners of the living room to the office worker deep in the background struggling to keep himself awake. The Side Hustle will be shot with medium to wide shots with a longer depth of field. True intimacy is not something that these characters can accomplish. As such, close up shots will be reserved for the rare moments when a character is truly being authentic. 

 

It is important in The Side Hustle that the camera not only give the audience a glimpse into the lives of its characters but the camera also must reflect the character’s state in that moment. 

 

The Side Hustle needs to reach its funding goal of $150,000 in order to take the next step towards the film's production, including the following:

* Creating film set & costumes

* Post-production editing

* Paying cast, producers, etc.

* Daily living & travel expenses

 

 

VICTORIA KODAI

Executive Producer/Writer/Director

As a child in grade school Victoria chose to skip recess and instead chose to write and direct short stories and skits for the class. She carried that passion for creating stories into college. Victoria  attended Dartington College of Arts in Devon, England where she graduated with a BFA in theater. After graduation Victoria took a very different path and became a telecommunications fraud investigator where she successfully investigated high dollar fraud cases. In addition to her duties as an investigator, Victoria was the main point of contact with U.S law enforcement for records and telecommunications assistance. It was in this capacity that Victoria earned a certificate of appreciation from the U.S. Marshals Service for assisting their efforts to capture a serial killer.  After the great recession Victoria went back to her roots and returned to higher education to get a degree in film at California Lutheran University. Victoria is currently a freelance filmmaker and editor working on set as well as editing/motion graphics/effects. Her recent writing/directing credits include the award winning neo-noir animated film “Bloodlines” and the live action dark comedy “The Winner” currently in post-production.  

 

KARL LAUTERBACH

Executive Producer

Karl Lauterbach has been running businesses since 1989.  He is currently the owner and CEO of an A&E firm with revenue of two million dollars. His firm, Lauterbach & Associates, is involved in the management of over $40 million worth of projects annually. Additionally, Mr. Lauterbach is highly skilled in computer and information systems technology.

 

SAM NKWUME

Producer

Samuel Nkwume is a Producer and 1st AD. A strong passion for cinematic art. Prudent and skilled in film, media and commercials. 

 

CALEB GARRETT

Director of Photography

Since early childhood Caleb has been making films but it wasn’t until 2015 that he discovered his calling was cinematography. For the past 4 years he has been practicing this craft personally and professionally shooting a variety of short films, music videos, and commercials. Now, Caleb is making his turn towards long form narrative work and comes with access to great local crew, a rapport with rental houses in the area, and several years of experience.

 

BLAINE AUCKERMAN

Post Production Coordinator

Blaine Auckerman was born on November 6, 1991 in Long Beach, California. He grew up in a single parent home where he spent time struggling to overcome a learning disability. Blaine became interested in animation at a young age with such films as All Dogs Go to Heaven, An American tail, Robin Hood and much more. During his time in high school he took four years of Tech Theater where he came to have a better understanding of the arts. After graduation Blaine went to attend The Los Angeles Film School where he received an Associates degree in Computer Science of Animation. Unfortunately during this time he had to leave the Post Production field to help with the family. With his life finally more on the stable side he decided to get back into the Post Production Field with the feature film 2050 being a Digital Compositor. With the birth of his daughter he felt the need to create and be a better man for his family so he enrolled in The Los Angeles Film School for a Bachelors of Science of VFX. His driving goal is create a legacy for his family to be proud of and to show people the kind of accomplishments a kid with learning disabilities could achieve.

 

DANIEL McCORMICK

Composer

Daniel McCormick’s compositions have been featured in theaters across Finland, Scotland, India, Mexico and U.S.A. He composed for the Emmy winning documentary Tending The Wild. Films he has scored have premiered at Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca and many other film festivals across the world, as well as had theatrical distribution in North America, Australia and Europe. His music has also been featured at the prestigious Palacio De Bellas Artes in Mexico City and his first film score for the film Getting Ready For A Lunch Date won Best Original Musical Score at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival

Looking for more information? Check the project FAQ
Need more information
Let us know if you think this campaign contains prohibited content.

Choose your Perk

Social Media 'Thank You'

$5 USD
You rock! And we want to show it by giving you a social media 'shout out' + updates via email.
Included Items
  • Social Media 'Thank You'
Estimated Shipping
April 2020
0 claimed

Personal Video ‘Thank You’

$10 USD
We'll send you a personalized video 'thank you' to show our love for you + updates via email.
Included Items
  • Personal Video 'Thank You'
Estimated Shipping
April 2020
0 claimed

Soundtrack Download

$12 USD
Get one digital download of a song from The Side Hustle soundtrack.
Included Items
  • Soundtrack Song Download
Estimated Shipping
April 2020
0 claimed

Behind The Scenes!

$15 USD
One (PDF) Behind The Scenes Photo Book
Included Items
  • Behind The Scenes Photo Book
Estimated Shipping
April 2020
0 claimed

Film Download

$17 USD
The main event! One (1) Digital Download of The Side Hustle
Included Items
  • Film Download
Estimated Shipping
July 2020
0 claimed

Signed Photo

$20 USD
One (1) Signed Photo + One (10 Digital Download of The Side Hustle
Included Items
  • Film Download
  • Signed Photo
Estimated Shipping
April 2020
0 claimed
Ships worldwide.

Signed Script

$25 USD
One (1) Signed Page of Script or Artwork + One (1) Digital Download of The Side Hustle
Included Items
  • Film Download
  • Signed Script Page
Estimated Shipping
July 2020
0 claimed
Ships worldwide.

Video Skype the Director

$50 USD
15 min Skype Video Chat with the Director (Victoria)
Included Items
  • Video Skype
0 claimed

Name on Website

$99 USD
Get one (1) name immortalized on Kodai Studios' website
Included Items
  • Name on Website
Estimated Shipping
April 2020
0 claimed

Name in Film's Credits

$250 USD
Get one (1) name immortalized in The Side Hustle's credits
Included Items
  • Name in Film Credits
Estimated Shipping
July 2020
0 claimed

Hollywood Experience

$5,000 USD
One (1) Roundtrip Flight to LA (North America only) + Two (2) Nights Accommodation + One (1) Dinner & Night Out with Team
Included Items
  • Hollywood Experience
Estimated Shipping
April 2020
0 claimed

Associate Producer

$8,000 USD
Associate Producer role in credits
Included Items
  • Associated Producer
Estimated Shipping
July 2020
0 claimed

Get Casted!

$10,000 USD
Cast One (1) Person in Film
Included Items
  • Cast One Person
Estimated Shipping
July 2020
0 claimed

You may also be interested in

Up Caret