Hello! My name is Vincent Herman and I run a DIY production company in Ohio that has already shot and begun editing our next feature-length indie film, Rat Songs. We just need your help to take it over the finish line!

However, even though the campaign defaults to 30 days, we need to make our goal MUCH faster! Our premiere is set for February 21st, so we will need to go into production on marketing materials very soon. So it's all riding on this now!

SYNOPSIS

Rat Songs is a dramady that gives you a look into the daily life of three degenerates from the East End of Portsmouth, OH. However, on this particular day, the goal of getting high at a friends house becomes anything but typical and they're forced to confront what sadly is common on "the wrong side of town".

WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THE PROJECT?

Well, it's actually just shy of done! We are in the editing stages now, with plenty left to go there, but the entire film is shot, we have all the music we need, and we've even lined up a venue for the local premiere before taking out to film festivals (which will be out of pocket).

The one place we fell short on was the marketing budget... Shooting took a little more of our funds than we anticipated, even with over-projecting, and so now we are left with no funds for advertising.

MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT

The East End of Portsmouth, Ohio that many people in this very small city would rather ignore than help.

For that reason, this area of town holds many untold stories of individuals who struggle with extreme poverty, drug addiction and mental health issues. Many folks have been left to waste away on the East End, but somehow find their way, and on occasion thrive, even in the darkest of times. This movie, although written as fiction, tells the very real story of many individuals and their everyday lives on the streets of Portsmouth.

It’s also an embodiment of collaborative effort. People from all around the neighborhood, and some from outside it, saw the potential of what could be and what could be said and wanted to help make it happen for the sake of making it happen. That’s how we were able to lock down locations like The Blue Store, which is a landmark in so many ways of “the other side of the tracks”.

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE MAKE MORE THAN OUR GOAL?

After the premiere of Rat Songs at the local Portsmouth 8 Cinema, we will begin the process of taking it to film festivals! Submitting to each festival comes with it's own fee which, at present, is intended to come willingly at person expense.

However, we can apply any extra money from this campaign to those expenses. Below is the short list of film festivals we intend to submit to and their entry costs as we can currently tell:

Chicago Film Festival ($90 for submissions by April 7th)

Tribeca Film Festival ($70 for early submissions)

Smodcastle Film Festival (2026 Festival price not currently listed, presumably $50)

New York Film Festival ($85 based on current submission costs)

Cindependent Film Festival ($40 guesstimated by when we will be able to submit)

Athens Film Festival ($45 for early submissions)

So, you can say our total "stretch goal" is $380.

After that, every dollar over will be spent on social media marketing. This will not only help spread the word about the film, but also help with long term growth goals of Subject To Change Entertainment.