<div>In a land where magic has been outlawed, a warlock named Stefan is forced to become the food taster - and poison tester - of the human king.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><em>Shattering Thrones</em> is a story that provides a diverse and curious lens into the fantasy genre, diving headfirst into issues of morality and community as it intersects with shame and prejudice. As someone devoted to impactful storytelling, I am passionate to bring the world of Therolios to life.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><em>Shattering Thrones</em> began as an independent writing project for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in 2015. Since its inception 10 years ago, the story has continued to bubble, double, toil, and trouble in its cauldron.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Set in the land of Therolios, magic is possible, but is strictly forbidden, and for generations, those with magical ancestry have been forced to live in walled villages. Stefan Blackthorn is one such warlock, and although he has never trouble, and after spitting in a soldier's eye, Stefan is arrested. However, an unexpected assassination of the King's cupbearer causes his trial to unfold differently than both humans and witches expected. Should one survive at a cost or die for a cause? These are just the first few questions Stefan grapples with in his newfound role, but many more questions will bubble up as Stefan learns that everything he's been taught isn't what it seems.
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/94284527_1756942411715138_r." width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Shattering Thrones brings a fresh perspective to the world of fantasy, centering unconventional characters and exploring complicated themes that resonate with all who live at the mercy of their governing authority: complicity and consequences...survival and surveillance...power and privilege...and much more.
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/94284527_1756942430882994_r." width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This proof-of-concept short film will be shot entirely in the fictional language of Therolian, created by Matt Grimes, and will adapt the pivotal scene in the novel which sets the rest of the story into motion. After Stefan's trial, the world will never be the same as family, friends, and foes alike respond to the consequences of Stefan's actions. We've created a teaser for you <a href="https://youtu.be/1ECdjetWvE0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/94284527_1756942484239436_r." width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>WHY THIS?</strong>
</div>
<div>Shattering Thrones is a decade-long story in the making. This is not a fleeting moment of inspiration; it is the next step in bringing the world of Therolios to audiences worldwide.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>WHY US?</strong>
</div>
<div>The team that has become attached to this project has each expressed interest in working in the genre of fantasy because of limited opportunities to satisfy this itch previously. We are a team of multitalented working professionals who are eager to create a project that is exceptional and entertaining. We have a demonstrated history of successful filmmaking working both with shoestring budgets and tens of thousands of dollars.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>WHY NOW?</strong>
</div>
<div>The film industry has been in a rough patch since 2020 between COVID-19, talent and crew strikes, and the threat of Artificial Intelligence. Since graduating in 2020, Matt Grimes has dreamed of pulling back the curtain on his imagination for the world to see, but has been met with larger-than-life obstacles. Some dust has settled, and other conflicts have stirred: the themes explored in this story, such as prejudice, sovereignty, agency, and oppression have gripped the world in unprecedented ways. We know this story will challenge audiences to embrace open-mindedness, inner power, and love while challenging the actions and stories that cause hate to thrive.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>BUDGET</strong>
</div>
<div>For this project, we are aiming to raise at least $2,000 to meet the needs of our Production Design. Most of the money we receive will go towards building the world in which this story is set, such as sets and costumes. Other/additional funds will be used to finance equipment, rent spaces, and pay our hardworking cast and crew.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>TIMELINE</strong>
</div>
<div>Currently, we plan to produce this project before the end of 2025. Development and pre-production will continue through September and October as we crowdfund, finalize our designs, and put together our team. Our eyes are set on shooting in early November, with backup dates in early December. Post-Production will continue through the winter months into 2026, with an expected release date in March or April.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><em>No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe.</em>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>TEAM</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/94284527_1756945218617954_r." width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Matt Grimes</strong> is a Massachusetts-born, Chicago-based storyteller of the page, stage, and screen. Throughout his career, which started when he was six years old, he has worked on hundreds of films, shows, and commercials. He graduated summa cum laude from Columbia College Chicago in 2020 and is currently signed with Promote Talent Agency. When it comes to creating his own work, he is a big fan of the fantasy genre, and enjoys surprising audiences and challenging their perspective. He does this not only through acting and writing; he is well-known in the Chicago community for his photography and videography. For more about him, check out his website <a href="https://matthewgrimes.net" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>!
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Ricardo Bouyett</strong> is a queer Puerto Rican filmmaker working in the Chicagoland area with expertise in narrative, music, and experimental visual storytelling. Coming from a Fine Art &amp; Commercial background in Photography, Ricardo graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2015 and has since been paving his own way between industries. With an unconventional track record over the last decade, Ricardo has created a prolific portfolio of narrative short film, documentary, and music video work. Ricardo has ironed his arsenal of skills as a Director, Editor, Cinematographer, and Producer and launched his production house, <a href="https://www.bouyfilms.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bouy Films</a>, in 2023. Since the launch of Bouy Films, the production house released several In-House projects that have brought the team much acclaim and viewership as well as the opportunity to support several Chicago based artists and their projects. Recently nominated in the Best Filmmaker category for the Chicago Reader’s Best of Chicago 2023 list, Bouyett has been both an administrative and creative lead constantly advocating for on-set safety and streamlining communication and information between all levels of production. Ricardo is eager for every opportunity that will allow him to continue to create culturally relevant and impactful work.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Hannah Scout Dunaway</strong> is a Production Designer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is passionate about highlighting untold stories and perspectives through the medium and loves to work in genre filmmaking. Whether it's looking at the big picture or combing over the fine details, she brings an exceptional amount of dedication and skill to the art department. She specializes in the art department, HMUA, and SFX while also directing her own work. Her short film, Gorge, won her the audience award at Open Projector Night in Grand Rapids. She is passionate about Midwest &amp; Michigan Filmmaking, and spoke at the Michigan House of Representatives in support of the Multimedia Jobs Act.
</div>

Cole Irwin

Redding Tews

Melinda Naso

Allen Lucas

Cody Dillard

Rachel Grimes

Heather Smith

Bethany Schmieder

Christian Ramsey

Madeline Aldrich

Kirsten Gronau

Robert Herlihy

Paul Williams

Bethany Simpson

Kirste Kirsten

Adrienne Brennan

Leslie Renee Smith

SHATTERING THRONES - Film

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

currencyCode

Money Box Donation List Prompt Experiment Audience

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Eligible for Profile Comment Badge

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

writePath

Stream Notification

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

NPO upsell education category

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

NPO recommendations prod

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

isEligibleForProfileCommentBadge

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

categoryGroup

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.3.0 and above

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

NPO upsell animals category

NPO upsell disaster relief category

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

NPO upsell essential needs category

NPO upsell medical category

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

NPO upsell cancer category

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

SHATTERING THRONES - Film

Still $1,190 to go. Help us build momentum.