Crippled

PROJECT  SUMMARY:
Crippled is an emotional and physical horror film about a man with Muscular Dystrophy and the nightmarish journey of dealing with his  nurses. Our goal for this film, is to provide a voice for the disabled community as a whole and to shine a light on an often ignored social issue. The film is a Kafkaesque interpretation of what it is like to be disabled.

REWARDS:
$5 - You will receive a shoutout on social media thanking you for your donation, because you are great!

$10 - You will receive a thank you in the credits. (As well as items previously listed)

$15 - You will receive a handwritten thank you, and a sticker. (As well as items previously listed)

$25 - You will receive a digital download of the film. (As well as items previously listed)

$30 - You will receive an original Storyboard Print that was used in the preproduction process of the film. (As well as items previously listed)

$50 - You will receive a poster, DVD of Crippled,  and the chance to be an extra in the film. (As well as items previously listed)

$75 - You will receive a Shirt, Mixtape that helped inspire the film, and a Video Thank You (As well as items previously listed)

$100 - You will receive 3D bust of the Creature, a Unicorn Propaganda DVD (with regular and drunken commentary of Crippled, a compilation of our past short films, and a digital copy of the original script). (As well as items previously listed)

$250 - You will be featured in the audio mix of the film. This is a mostly visual based story, so the sound design will be key. Seep into someone’s subconscious in a way people will remember. You will also receive a small Hümän Plänët painting (8" x 10"), used in the actual film.  (As well as items previously listed)

$500 - Food Challenge! Have a weird recipe or disgusting food item? For this price, one of us will eat whatever you suggest and film the results (within reason of safety and cost). This can be substituted for a custom cat video or a video of one of us being egged. (As well as items previously listed)

$750 - Medium Hümän Plänët painting (11" x 14"). (As well as items previously listed, medium can be substituted for two small paintings)

$1,000 - Executive Producer Credit. You will be invited to a party thanking you for your contribution. You will also receive a personalized video thank you.  (As well as items previously listed, date of party TBD)

$5,000 - Associate Producer Credit. You will also receive a large Hümän Plänët painting (16" X 20") used in the actual film. (This can be substitute for 2 medium paintings or 4 small paintings). You will also receive a personalized video thank you. (As well as items previously listed)

$10,000 - Producer Credit, you will receive a full producer credit in the film as well as on IMDB. You will also receive a 5 minute personalized video thank you and a self portrait featuring you in the world of the film, hand painted by our Production Designer, Ben Werfel.  (As well as items previously listed)

HISTORY:
Will and Zak have been friends and co-collaborators for over 7 years, and they are the creators of the Baltimore based production company Unicorn Propaganda. Along with the help of many contributing crew members, they have shown a variety of films in over 30 different festivals and across 4 continents. These films and music videos have won several awards and have been featured prominently within the Maryland community. They have also been embedded in the disabled community  through various advocacy groups such as Creative Chance, The Arc Baltimore, and MDA. Will currently serves on the Board for The Arc Baltimore and recently received his Masters in mental health counseling. Zak is a freelance videographer within the Baltimore community and has worked on various productions such as House of Cards, Jackie, Leda, The Enemy Within and American Ninja Warriors. In the past, the two have also worked together in various musical acts such as Unicorn Apocalypse. In his spare time, Will paints under the pseudonym Hümän Plänët.

WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING:
Set Design Costs: This is where a large percentage of our budget is going. The more money we get, the closer the final edit will be to our true vision of this film.

Camera Package: We are planning to shoot on the Red Dragon or Red Weapon. Even if this does not happen, lenses, focusing assistance, steadicam rigs, and various mounts add up.

Light/Grip Package: We are creating a noir and German expressionist feeling throughout the film. The light serves as a metaphor for Will’s emotional journey. As Will becomes more oppressed, his surroundings fade, causing more dramatic lighting to consume him.

Props: We have several exciting practical effects throughout the film! The more money that we receive, the more effects will make it into the film.

Costuming: Each character has a unique look to them, including a giant birdlike creature wrapped in a black cloak.

Makeup: Along with general makeup, there is a lot of german expressionism and gore throughout the film that requires a lot of experimentation and application.

Food: The cast and crew have to eat! Standard industry shoot days are typically 12 hours long with everyone eating every 6.

Location Fees: Certain locations will require daily rental fees to build and shoot in.

Post Production fees: Editing and Color Grading.

Sound Design: Sound is going to be vastly important in selling this film. We want to have the most professional people working with us in order to provide the best experience for you!

Music: We plan on recording much of the music ourselves, but in order to get the best quality sound, we will need to rent out a studio space.

Film Festival Fees: In order to get as many eyes on the film as possible, we will need to travel with the film across the country and globe. Any money we may have left over will go towards these festivals and our traveling expenses.

Misc: Insurance, Sunscreen, Bug Spray, Heaters, Generators, Popup Tents, Fans, Gaff Tape, etc. The list of items needed for a film is always changing and expanding on a day to day basis.

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT:
There is so much talk of representation of marginalized groups in film these days, and yet I have found little discussion on disabled filmmakers being able to tell their stories outside the context of documentary film. This is more than a generic body horror from someone with a disability. This is an experimental arthouse film that seeks to bring an awareness of the lack of passionate care in the field of home health nursing by giving a voice to those in the disabled community who deal with insensitive nursing care.

Many people have trouble empathizing with groups of people with which they have little knowledge or interaction. We plan to accomplish this by spreading the word on this film through social media and through our connections in the festival circuits, eventually working towards making a documentary on the subject. We have also reached out to various local newspapers for write ups on our film upon completion, and will look into community screenings for organizations that support this cause such as Creative Chance. Our plan is to eventually expand this story into a feature film, but for now, we are using this opportunity to create a short film to show what we are capable of.