THÁRROS- A Chapman University Senior Thesis Film

A story about fear and loss of innocence…...


We are a group of inspired and dedicated students at Chapman University making their senior thesis film about life on the divided Mediterranian island of Cyprus and we need your help! Our shoot is scheduled for 6 days in April. Because our story is based on real life experiences, it is extremely important that we be as authentic and real as possible. Because of this, our budget has gone up significantly as we have to support the look of our story with elaborate production design and specific, costly locations that require us to put our cast and crew up in hotels. COVID costs have also increased our budget as we must pay for outside testing and the necessary sanitary equipment. 

We have been developing this story for over a year now, and we could not be more thrilled to see all of our hard work show on the screen. From the entire Thárros team, we feel as though this is a story needed to be told. As we near graduation, this will be our last major production at Chapman and we plan to utilize all available resources to craft an impactful short film that showcases everything we have learned at school. As we are a month away from production, we need your help reaching our goal to fully finance this film and bring our story to life. 

Please scroll down to learn more about our story and why we need your help. You will also find a link that showcases our vision for the story as well as introduces you to our talented team. 


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PgvxJCVvVKba_8Bmst1_NDWB7lfrHfNq/view?usp=sharing


THE STORY

Θάρρος - Thárros (Courage, Guts, Nerve, Heart)

Genre: Drama/Coming of Age

On the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus, three childhood friends venture across the forbidden Green Line border into No-Man’s-Land, the deserted strip of land that separates the Greek south and the Turkish north of the capital, Nicosia. In one of the abandoned buildings there, the boys have built a clubhouse. This dangerous location serves as a haven for the boys, where they can forget about the looming duties of adulthood. A stranger arrives at their clubhouse, and this confrontation between cultures puts pressure on their friendships. 


ABOUT CYPRUS

Cyprus is a magical Mediterranean island situated just south of Turkey. Our director Poppy moved to Cyprus from London, England, when she was three years old and spent the best five years of her childhood there, making friends with local kids as well as other ex-pats. They learned Greek at school, and it seemed to her that the sun was always shining. Only as she grew older did she become aware that there was an ‘other side’ to the island. The city of Nicosia, where she lived, has been split in two since 1974 when the Turkish army attempted to take control of Cyprus, resulting in both Greek and Turkish families having to abandon their homes and possessions to flee to ‘their side.’ There has been an uneasy peace ever since, as the Green Line that cuts across the middle of the island, is patrolled by armed UN soldiers. There have been failed attempts to reunite the island, but both sides stay alert and ready in case of another attack.


THE VISION

The objective of this film is to demonstrate the global theme: fear divides. This theme is relevant to many issues we have in society - driven by fear of the unknown. We are so easily stuck in our own tracks and beliefs and close our minds to possible solutions that could be on the other side. Many people have never heard of Cyprus, let alone have any awareness of the political situation there. We want this film to reflect Poppy’s love for the country and the people she knows there, but also to be an eye-opener to the island’s troubled past and unsettled future. We want to show the deep impact of history on the day-to-day lives of ordinary people.


WHAT WE NEED AND WHAT YOU GET

In order to accurately portray our story, we must put a significant amount of funds into recreating a distinct look. Locations for this story are very particular so we are renting out a “movie ranch” with standing sets that look and feel like the streets of Cyprus. This ranch is significantly more expensive than most locations as it has been featured in numerous acclaimed shows and films including, American Sniper. This location is 2 hours away from our school which means we must provide housing for our cast and crew. Due to covid regulations, we are putting each cast and crew member in their own hotel room for 2-3 nights. On top of this film being set in a very specific location like Cyprus, it is also set in the 90s, so we have to match the costumes, props, and set dressing from this time period.

COVID protocols have also consumed a significant portion of our budget. We are responsible for paying for testing for all members of cast and crew who do not attend Chapman University. This includes our five person cast as well as four other crew members. We also must provide the necessary sanitation and social distancing equipment like portable bathrooms, hand washing stations, tents, etc. 

Our location and COVID needs have almost doubled our budget. Safety is our number one priority and we need your help to raise these funds and keep our team safe while also bringing this meaningful story to life. 

As a thank you for your generous support, we want to offer some digital perks to those who donate. 


$10-$100 
We will give you a special thanks in the credits for your kind generosity.
(Please provide your name along with your donation)


$110+
You will receive a private screening link to the film before it becomes publicly available.
We will give you a special thanks in the credits for your kind generosity.
(Please provide your name along with your donation and contact me through GoFundMe to receive your perk)


$1000+
We will facetime you in for a virtual tour of our set!
You will receive a private screening link to the film before it becomes publicly available.
We will give you a special thanks in the credits for your kind generosity.
(Please provide your name along with your donation and contact me through GoFundMe to schedule your perk)


If you cannot donate any money, no worries. Sharing this link and our campaign on your social media or to your friends and family helps us tremendously by getting the word out about this project. Anything you can do helps us, and we greatly appreciate it. 

Thank you so much!

Sincerely,
The entire Thárros team