Support for SIBLING: A Short Film by Aiden Yarbrough

THE PROJECT

Storytelling has been a hallmark of my life since childhood; whether it's been through theater, creative writing, or bingeing film scores on loop. At the end of 2022, I uprooted my life to suddenly move to Virginia and study filmmaking at the Zaki Gordon Center for Cinematic Arts. I was only able to do this via the support of family and friends. And it has been one of the greatest decisions of my life.

Now, I'm asking family, friends, and lovers of original storytelling to help me create a short film for my senior thesis. We have an incredible team who, from October 15th-24th, will shoot principle photography for the film SIBLING. It is our goal to bring something special, tender, and overwhelmingly stunning to audiences. It'll premiere May 2025.

THE FILM

SIBLING is a narrative short film focused on self-resentment stemming from leaving someone's side as they pass. It incorporates 80's and 90's influences, non-linear storytelling, and the supernatural to create something unique while paying homage to stories like Super 8, E.T., and Stranger Things. Our official logline is:

"Through a collection of VHS tapes buried inside a creature's chest, Avery Carpenter revisits her elder brother's passing."

Now, we can't get into spoilers, but hopefully this paints of picture of what we're creating.

THE TEAM & OUR RESOURCES

I'm serving as writer and director for SIBLING, and I'm thrilled to finally bring months of pre-production and dozens of talented people onto a project I'm passionate about. Beyond a love and fascination with story structure, I've developed experience working as a camera operator and BTS Director of Photography for a pilot episode and feature film. I've been involved in numerous short films, and I've written and directed two in the past year.

But film is a medium which requires a team. And I have been overwhelmed with the support of an incredible crew. Our team includes multiple alumni (serving in DP, G&E, and Script Supervisor roles), as well as numerous undergrads with feature, episodic, and short film work.

Beyond that, we're renting top of the line equipment for this production, courtesy of our film school. The film will be shot on a RED V-Raptor 8k VV, illuminated with gear from ARRI, Aputure, and/or Astera, and recorded with a Sound Devices MixPre-6 II Audio Recorder. We also have professional mixing and coloring rooms at our disposal. This is only part of our arsenal, but we've been blessed with industry standard equipment throughout the production process.

Stills from my first short film, "Let's Break Kevan's Knees". Photographed by Jackson Rawlings, Colored by Josiah Vaughan:

WHY SUPPORT THIS PROJECT?

Filmmaking is, unfortunately, often an expensive endeavor. And, whereas we have incredible resources at our disposal, there are still numerous expenses to cover.

Now, I'm prepared to donate $3,000 from my own wallet, but our goal budget is $6,500. By supporting this project, you're allowing us, as filmmakers, to focus on the pre-production process, which will result in a better film in the long run. This also gives us the ability to contribute substantially to production design, wardrobe, and lens selection. It also gives us a leg up in the lengthy and expensive post-production pipeline.

You're also supporting not just me, but 20+ independent filmmakers and actors who are heading out into the industry. This is supporting original art and the artists behind it.

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Thankfully, we already have catering and crafty covered for this film.

Now, this our optimal budget after fundraising, but we're determined to bring this project to life regardless of the money raised.

*I’ve altered the budget to exclude post-production costs - these are strictly production costs*

THANK YOU

If you've made it this far, thank you. Even if you choose not to contribute financially, if you're reading this, you've likely had an impact on my life and helped get me to this point in life. Please, consider sharing this project; any support helps us bring SIBLING to the silver screen.

Any and all contributors will receive recognition on this film during the end credits. Thank you, all.