Hilton Goode Presents: FEELING - A Motion Picture

Hey! My name is Hilton. I am a film writer/director and a fresh graduate of CCNY's BFA film program, where I won Best Director for my thesis film. I hold a strong passion for the art of motion picture storytelling.

I am currently in the pre-production phase for my forthcoming short film entitled "Hilton Goode Presents: FEELING - A Motion Picture."

On the night of Élysée Jackson's 23rd birthday, her old friend Bento Benson in an effort to make the occasion unforgettable declares they must listen to at least one of her prized records while under the influence. What unfolds for the pair is the creation of a shared realm crafted embrace, where the world around them begins to fade away leaving room for their relationship to blossom on this single unforgettable night.

To put it bluntly, this is the best script I’ve ever written, which I guess isn’t a huge surprise since if it wasn’t, that’d be rather alarming. After all, this is what I went to school for, so it ought to be good. But I reread this script and then go back to stuff I wrote a year ago, and it’s like, damn, what happened? Leaps and bounds better. I’m just so proud of myself.

Film school was an interesting period in my life. Though fun, I often felt limited in my creativity due to interference and deadlines mandated by my professors. Additionally, a lack of life experience outside of just school hindered my ability to create compelling stories that could resonate worldwide. My early films were often basic and didn't capture the absolute truth that the best stories convey—something we all share as human beings.

After finishing film school, I deliberately decided to take a step back and live a little life; not to rush whatever came next because ultimately, I recognized that whatever came next would no longer have an excuse or an asterisk with “student film” or “aspiring filmmaker” attached to it, explaining why it wasn’t the best it could be.

With FEELING, the goal is to create a motion picture that transcends all walks of life, where the audience cares about the characters first and foremost. This way, the situations within the film hold real meaning for the viewers. FEELING has been designed in such a clever way that the visuals of the film will tell its story. Hypothetically, if you’d want to, you would be able to understand this film even if it were on mute. That’s been the trick with this screenplay, ensuring that it isn’t solely a dialogue-based script. The story is told through the visuals first, and the plot is told through dialogue second.

Too often, contemporary films and shorts focus on intriguing scenarios rather than compelling characters. I believe a more powerful method is to create characters that the audience cares about, then place them in scenarios that organically engage the viewers. From day one, the goal has been to write a story that fully utilizes the medium of filmmaking while creating characters who feel so real that the audience becomes deeply invested in them—a true motion picture.

My favorite stories are those where the characters feel so raw and real that you almost forget you're watching something fictitious. This ultimate verisimilitude is what I aim to achieve with FEELING. Some stories that inspired FEELING are Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball, Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 2," and Makoto Shinkai's ”君の名は (Kimi no Na wa) [YOUR NAME]." These are stories that have had a lasting impression on me in my adult life.

By contributing to FEELING's production, you are helping me ensure the film reaches its highest potential. Your support will enable me to hire talented actors who can genuinely embody the nuanced characters, bringing depth and authenticity to their performances. Additionally, your contribution will allow for significant investments in key aspects of the production, such as hiring a skilled crew, enhancing production design, securing high-quality equipment, and covering post-production costs. These elements are vital to creating a polished and compelling film that resonates deeply with audiences. Your generosity directly impacts the film's ability to captivate and engage viewers, helping to bring this vision to life in the most vivid and impactful way possible.

Thank you for reading. I can't wait to get to work!

Visit hiltongoode.com to learn more about me and about FEELING!