help us bring "Waking Up in the Shadows" to life

Hi, my name is Raghav and I am a filmmaking student, this is funding for my thesis film. We have talented creators from different parts of the world like America, India, Italy, Mexico, China, and Brazil.

 

Cast

Bobbie Benjamin (actor) is an American actress who has worked in  The Comey Rule (2020), The Bits 'N Pieces Show (2015), Nothing to Do (2017)
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Madi Burton (Actor) is an American actress known for her phenomenal acting in The Wrong Cheerleader Coach, Double the Trouble, Twice the Fun (2018), (2020)Girls & Boys (2017), Lockdown (2016), etc.
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Autumn Noel (Actor) is an American actress who has worked in Deadly Garage Sale (2022),  My Better One (2022), Meathook (2022), They come in colors and TV shows like A Dangerous Defense (2021), Chicken Girls (2021), Jay Shetty (2021)
(TV Mini-series).

“Waking up in the Shadows” is a story that I’ve been emotionally attached to for quite a long time. Since I was a kid I was fascinated by ghost stories. I believed in them. I was a scared little child back then, that feeling of cold sweats is still something that I can never forget. Although the main character, Olivia is a female, I completely identify with her and my guts tell me that people from various generations and identities will, as well.

 

Growing up, I was always told that ghosts are a concept that's in your head, it's not real, it’s a creation of your own imagination. As I grew up, I learned how psychology plays a vital role in evoking fear, how dreams have meanings and how your subconscious communicates with you. All these questions were of my interest, as time passed I became more curious about this subject matter and researched quite a bit on it. As a filmmaking student, I never explored horror as a genre before. It’s a genre that makes me feel like I can showcase a lot of my skills and learnings. My intention with this film is to explore fears that I feel are relevant to society today, that fear, which is hidden deep inside your subconscious, fear of the self, fear of not being you for a while, fear of breaking the idealistic rules presupposed in our minds.

 

For me, true horror comes not so much from being startled or surprised, not from somebody jumping in a mask and scaring you but from a true reasonable story/situation that puts you in a position to make a decision that’ll change your life. A situation that tests your courage and reveals your true characteristics. My intention is to allow the audience to become direct participants in the events onscreen; to allow them to be horrified not only by what they see and hear but by their own hidden feelings and desires. Lastly, I would like nothing more than just to leave a mark on the audience's mind long after the film is screened.

Crew

Raghav Reddy (Writer & Director) is an Indian Filmmaker currently based in Los Angeles known for directing films like Known for G.E.M.S (2021), LINK the arrival of Retribution (2022), Famous (III) (2021), Limelight (2022), Looks don't matter(2017).

Cynthia Alesco (Creative Producer) is an Mexican actress who has worked in Virus Fem (2021), Vencer el pasado (2021), La Reina del Sur (2019), Operación Pacífico (2020).
 
Siddhant Jogal (Producer) is known for working on Elisa's Almost Thirty (2022), Day in the Life: Alessia Cara's Best Day (2022), Alessia Cara: Album Unboxing, Sandalwood (2020), O2 (2020), etc.
 
Maria Perlifonova (Director of Photography) is currently Los Angeles-based cinematographer and SOC associate member. she won several awards for Directing and Cinematography. She has won many awards like Global Film Festival Awards, Independent Shorts Awards, Indie Short Fest, and many nominations.

 

What We Need & What You Get

This short film needs your help to become a reality. In order to make this film possible, we need 7,000 dollars to cover the expenses of production design, locations, transportation, healthy meals, camera equipment, crew, and cast. Any type of help, big or small will make the difference, and to express our gratitude, there will be rewards!

 

If you donate $20 you will be receiving a personal and hearted thanks.

 

If you donate $25 we will give you a personal shout-out on social media. 

 

If you donate $35 you will receive a copy of the script with the director's notes. 

 

If you donate $50 your name will be in the credits of the film and a social media shout-out.

 

If you donate $100 you will be receiving all of the above including a film package with BTS, and a  signed poster of all crew and cast members.

 

If you donate $500 you will be credited as an Associate Producer of Waking Up in the Shadows and you will receive an invitation for a private screening. 

 

If you donate $1000 you will be credited as Executive Producer and all of the above. 

 

The Impact

Our goal with this project is to create a quality, professional short film that can be submitted to film competitions, festivals, and fringes. With a cast and crew of local professionals, we will shoot the film over a 2-3 day period in June.

 

With your help, we will create a film that can reach audiences across the country. The message is one of devotion to today's youth that negative thoughts can lead to tragic incidents and how important is mental health for an artist and overpressure and stress is not good.

 

Your support means everything to us, on a financial level of course, but also by the fact that you see the value in what we are doing. We're offering lots of perks for your contributions, hoping that they can covey our deepest thanks and gratitude.

 

 

 

Risks & Challenges

Making good movies only happens when all of the people that are part of them bring their energy and talents come together to create a magical illusion of images called film. Each department needs your help to make this possible. 

 

Production Design- The story takes place in a world that needs to be created, In order to come to life by adding the style and layers of the characters and aesthetic in which this film is taking place. 

 

Camera and Lighting- To capture every emotion and the mood of the film, we need the right equipment to provide a cinematic look and feel for the film.

 

Transportation - All of what has been mentioned above needs to be moved to different locations, and we need a truck to do so! 

 

Catering - we want our crew to have delicious and healthy meals and snacks to keep up the enthusiasm and energy on set. 

 

Covid Safety - We are still in covid time and we want to make sure that health and safety become a priority on set. Our team needs to make sure that sanitizers and masks are available at all times. 

 

Other Ways You Can Help

We know times are tough right now. If you can't spare a monetary contribution, there are still plenty of ways to help us achieve this goal! Help us spread the word - make some noise about the campaign! Share the IndieGoGo link on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or word of mouth... Tell a friend! Tell a stranger (within reason...) We can't thank you enough for your support. See you at the premiere!