Donate to Bring On the Vanishing Horizon to Life

*Concept Teaser Above!

We're students at UCSB, creating a surrealist thriller short-film: On the Vanishing Horizon! After our previous fundraising campaign, we're still looking to fulfill $1,500 of our budget, primarily going towards equipment rentals and craft services for our incredible crew members! Check out more information for the project from our director, Colin, below...

LOGLINE

A lone prisoner to a town where the sun never rises—will he escape from this labyrinth, or only manage to lose himself deeper within it?

WHY THIS STORY?

I first began writing this story in 2023 amidst a mental health crisis, using writing as a means to explore my isolation, misanthropy, and feelings of being lost and disoriented by the world around me—though I had trouble thinking about where to take the story and gave up on it until recently. The basis of what I had written was a man trapped in an empty town, trying to establish some kind of human connection but always managing to be just too late.

After rediscovering the scraps of writing that would later form the script of this film, I was determined to find a direction to take the story. When talking about it with a close friend, his eyes widened and he recounted an eerily similar experience to what I had written. After swallowing a massive dose of liquid LSD, he found himself outside beneath the night sky, and realized the sun was dead and that he was the last person on earth. In this moment of profound fear and confusion, he couldn’t even question why this was happening to him, all he could do was yell for his mom.

Once I heard his anecdote, everything fell into place and the resulting story is in some regards a bizarre and twisted concoction of these two very personal narratives.

THEMES

The film establishes an imposing sense of cyclical despair through the deliberate hostility of the environment, echoing the themes of being trapped and powerless and exploring how our surroundings can influence us and turn us into monsters ourselves. The story stands as an exploration of the human psyche and, more importantly, its unraveling; fear, stress, loneliness, isolation, and power are thus integral themes to the story. Though, the setting of a prison-like existence also offers themes of life in exile and explores esoteric traditions of the past, with the Gnostic belief of earth existing as a corporeal prison being reflected through the environment of this story.

MEET THE CREW!

Director: Colin Kelly is a 4th year Film and Media studies major at UCSB with a wide range of filmmaking and artistic experience. Having made several short films in the past and worked a variety of roles in student and professional productions, he is very excited to put his creative talents and technical knowledge to the test by taking on this ambitious project!

Producer: Allen Schultz is a 3rd year at UCSB with a strong passion for screenwriting and film! He’s worked on 5 pilot scripts, 1 feature-length, and is excited to work as lead producer on this incredible short film! He's sure to guarantee that every crew member's artistic touch comes to life.

Production Manager: MJ Macias is the production manager for On a Vanishing Horizon. She's a fourth year who is passionate about directing and collaborating on all sorts of creative projects. And she can’t wait to see this film come off the ground!

Assistant Producer: Lexy Downes is a second-year film & media and communication double major. She is excited to be taking on the role of associate producer for On the Vanishing Horizon and to work with the rest of the amazing crew!

Director of Photography: Brian Alejandro Sol, a fourth-year Film and Media Studies Major at UCSB, he brings over 8 years of filmmaking experience, primarily in editing. Recently, he has shifted his focus to honing his skills in cinematography. Brian's passion for filmmaking has led him to explore various roles on set. He looks forward to collaborating with his friend Colin and the talented cast and crew of this production.

Henry Jensen: Henry Jensen is the 1st Assistant Camera for On the Vanishing Horizon. He is currently a 4th year Film and Media studies major at UCSB. Henry currently works as a director and editor on a variety of projects, as well as in the camera department. He’s excited to get started on the film!

1st Assistant Director: Flavio is excited to be working as a 1st AD again for On the Vanishing Horizon! Here he is with the very reclusive director working on the shotlist schedule!

Gaffer: Joey Buzzella is a recent graduate at UCSB who will be making his way down to Hollywood later this year to work in the industry. He is super excited to help bring Colin’s twisted and trippy vision to life through experimental lighting.

Sound Recorder: Alexa Alberto is a third year film and media studies transfer. Her favorite roles so far have been producing and working on sound, but mainly sound! She is also an aspiring screenwriter and will soon be directing season 2 one of her favorite projects that she produced during the spring. She’s very excited to start speeding on OTVH!

Production Design Head: Liv Hille is a second-year film and media studies major at UCSB from New York. She loves running, reading, and cinematography and is excited to be a production designer for this crew.

Set Production Designer: Sophia Mena is a 4th year at UCSB majoring in film and media studies and anthropology w an emphasis on culture. Originally from san fernando valley w a passion for making documentaries.

Hair & Makeup Specialist: Eva Solis Lindholm is a 3rd year film and media studies student, this is the 3rd production she’s worked on at UCSB, but has over 10 years of experience in acting and theatre. This is the 2nd UCSB production she has done hair, makeup, and costumes for, and she is super excited to do it again and work with production design.

Editor: Dillon is a senior film and media student at UCSB and a video editor. He has experience in non dialogue and experimental short film editing that he hopes to utilize while helping Colin bring his vision to the screen.

Post-Production Sound: Justin Perez is the post-sound engineer for the short film "On The Vanishing Horizon," meticulously crafting the audio landscape to enhance the film's immersive experience. With a keen ear for detail, he will ensure that every sound element will contribute to the story's depth and atmospheric richness.

RISKS & CHALLENGES

This is a rather ambitious project, with several risks and challenges to consider. For one, due to the setting of an eternal night, the film needs to be shot primarily in the dark, which can complicate shooting. Further it takes a lot of careful consideration and planning to depict an otherwise mundane town as something overtly malevolent and maze-like. Despite this, we have developed many creative workarounds and I believe that with the proper funding, we can overcome these challenges and deliver a great product.

HOW YOU CAN HELP!

Making a short film can be difficult, and for a group of passionate yet broke college students the financial hurdle can be challenging to overcome. You can help us take on this ambitious project by donating to our gofundme, every cent helps push us closer to our goal and we greatly appreciate your support and consideration. If you cannot donate but would still like to support us, you can also help to spread the word on social media!