'Trapper' is a short fictional horror film, set in a 19th century Scottish coal mining community. Heavily influenced by real life events, the film follows a young boy, Jack, on his first day working in his local colliery.

Jack is a quiet and inquisitive young boy, whose only form of expression is though the chalk drawings he makes both at home and by his station in the mine. There is a silent but deeply understanding connection between Jack and his older brother, Tom. Despite his age (18), Tom has worked in the mines for a number of years, supporting the family largely on his own.

In the small community where Jack lives, children were expected to join the adult work force at an incredibly young age; so when asked, Jack doesn’t hesitate to join his brother in working down the mines, despite his growing fear of the dark.

Deep underground, during a rare break Jack is introduced to a ghostly legend through an old miners' folk song, which taints his innocence and opens the door to his imagination. When left alone with nothing but a gas lantern and his own thoughts, Jack becomes convinced that he is in the presence of a drowned spirit.   

DIRECTOR: OSKAR BROCKBANK

Originally from London, Oskar attended Kensington and Chelsea College where he studied Fine Art. He is currently in his final year at Edinburgh College of Art, studying for a BA in Film and TV. From painting to pottery, Oskar has explored many different art forms. However, filmmaking has always been his most deep rooted passion. Whilst in Edinburgh, Oskar has written and directed several short films, including last years ‘Love Hurts’. As a filmmaker, Oskar is fascinated by the psychological effects of emotional trauma on young people. ‘Trapper’ is his latest film project, and Oskar will be exploring the extreme living conditions of a child working in a coal mine during the late 19th century.

PRODUCER: ALEX STARR

Alex is a second year Film & TV student at Edinburgh College of Art. As a filmmaker, he has strong experience with writing and directing short films and is drawn to ambitious projects with a focus on visual storytelling. This is a passion project for Alex, who has a clear view of the film's potential and a decisive eye when it comes to negotiating how he and the director, Oskar, plan to bring this rarely seen period of Scottish History to the screen. Trapper has an immensely powerful, intriguing and haunting story, which Alex is devoted to telling authentically.

CINEMATOGRAPHER: NICOLÒ BIARESE

Nicolò is a graduate from the MA Cinematography course at Screen Academy Scotland. During his time at University he shot various short films using different formats from 16mm to digital. He now works freelance in multiple camera departments and he photographs short films for independent productions. Nicolò comes from Italy, where he had worked in the Film/TV industry as camera assistant for the previous four years.

ART DIRECTOR: JONNA LAITINEN

Jonna is a second year film student at the University of Edinburgh. A filmmaker with a strong background in all kinds of art mediums, she realised her passion for production design last year while working as an art director on Snail Shell Seekers (directed by Elias Sommer). Since then she has tended to set her eye on ambitious projects, such as Trapper. As the Art Director, Jonna will therefore be in charge of bringing a 19th Century coal mine to life in the studio and she's looking forward to the exciting challenge.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: RUARIDH TURNER

Ruaridh is an aspiring director from Glenlivet, Scotland. At 23 he has begun to emerge as both a fiction and documentary filmmaker, with his most recent documentary project in production. He has also recently won two awards in California, one of which was at the Los Angeles independent film festival awards for a short adventure thriller titled, 'The Beast In The Storm'. "I have a really strong belief that Oskar will be able to bring this great script to life. He and the rest of the crew, including myself, are very passionate about this project. We have a talented director to guide us."

COSTUME DESIGNERS: RUTH HOPE & ELLEY LEWIS

Second year Performance Costume students Ruth Hope and Eleanor Lewis have a keen interest in historic Costume design after working on a number of period projects throughout their studies, this interest drew them towards collaborating on this film. They have additional experience in working with local theatre companies before beginning their studies at Edinburgh College of Art, along with having a range of skills in dressmaking, tailoring and textiles. Eleanor has experience working in Hampshire Wardrobe Costume Hire and Ruth has a background working in a props department in Leicestershire; these placements provided valuable skills applicable to the industry and this project.

With the ambitious nature of this film, there are a number of challenges which the team need to overcome in order to bring the script to screen. The week long shoot will primarily take place in our TV Studio, where we will be constructing a small interior section of a coal mine. Beyond this, however, the crew will be travelling outside of Edinburgh, to a preserved 19th century coal mine in North Lanarkshire for a number of exterior scenes at the mine's entrance and a day's filming in an authentic miner's cottage. 

Although this is a student production, we have a fairly large crew of both student and professional practitioners. To keep the team performing as creatively and proactively as possible we need to provide food, accommodation and transport throughout the week-long shoot. In addition to this, we have many other production costs including the set-build, costumes, actors, equipment and licensing.

In return for any contributions we have a great set of perks to sincerely thank you for contributing to our campaign. So please check out the list to the right for details on what is up for grabs.

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Thank you!