Call for The Baku - Graduate Short Film
Donation protected
Call for the Baku
This is the story of a child's great escape, with the help of a monster and the cost of a loved one.
The Project
'Call for the Baku' will be a live-action, thriller family drama set in an isolated apartment. The short film incorporates fantastical elements to ease the audience into its essential but dark themes of neglect, stress, and mental illness. The Baku is a creature that devours its caller’s nightmares.
‘Call for the Baku’ Tells the story of Ryo; a child aged 7 that has been forced to become the sole carer for her own mentally ill mother, Nana, after she has given up. Though feeling trapped by her situation and tempted by the stories of the Baku and its ability to end her nightmare. Ryo continues with the hopes that her perseverance will one day bring her mother back.
Our Message
The project attempts to highlight how children can be affected by their parent’s negative state. We feel that this is an issue that has been touched upon by other projects in the past but to a somewhat less accessible format - we strive to bring attention to our subject yet deliver an entertaining film that can be enjoyed and understood by a wider range of audiences.
Directors Statement
This story has been developed to observe the choices that Ryo will take when faced with her mother’s own misery that will consume both of them. The ending will be bitter-sweet, exploring how the illusion of something much bigger than ourselves is often far easier to accept than the circumstances of our own realities. How does the mind of a child react to something so taboo amongst adults? How do they perceive one horror when they are yet to see the rest of the world?
Why fund?
The project is extremely ambitious with its visual storytelling as we firmly believe in 'show, don't tell'. Our aim is to deliver an emotionally driven film that highlights the complex and sometimes problematic relationships within families struck with mental illness - especially when external help is unavailable or rejected. Whilst, also keeping the film digestible and captivating.
Due to the visual focus of this film, we will need your help to create what we believe is an important story and message. The funds will go towards the following things.
- The materials and construction of our set (design of the environment is of utmost importance).
- Transport costs of cast and crew as well as equipment.
- Camera/ sound equipment hire to ensure we are delivering the most professional looking and sounding film possible with our budget.
- Locations and special effects. There are extremely ambitious and visually interesting scenes that require special locations and these can get quite expensive!
Crew
We are also incredibly proud to have an extremely talented team behind the project.
Production
Robyn Leonard - Writer/ Director
Edson Ko - Producer
Sonia Vilkele - Assistant Producer
Elena Queally - First AD
Art Departmemt
Noah Demeuldre - Production Designer
Matt Scaburri - Assistant Art Department
Anne Braatz - Costume Designer
Ai He - Costume
Camera Department
Matthew White - Director of Photography
Vivek Bhadra - First AC
Matthew Allsop - Second AC/ Sound Design
We will appreciate any donation amount as every little bit counts towards our end goal - If you are unable to help us through donations you can help us by sharing this GoFundMe page!
This is the story of a child's great escape, with the help of a monster and the cost of a loved one.
The Project
'Call for the Baku' will be a live-action, thriller family drama set in an isolated apartment. The short film incorporates fantastical elements to ease the audience into its essential but dark themes of neglect, stress, and mental illness. The Baku is a creature that devours its caller’s nightmares.
‘Call for the Baku’ Tells the story of Ryo; a child aged 7 that has been forced to become the sole carer for her own mentally ill mother, Nana, after she has given up. Though feeling trapped by her situation and tempted by the stories of the Baku and its ability to end her nightmare. Ryo continues with the hopes that her perseverance will one day bring her mother back.
Our Message
The project attempts to highlight how children can be affected by their parent’s negative state. We feel that this is an issue that has been touched upon by other projects in the past but to a somewhat less accessible format - we strive to bring attention to our subject yet deliver an entertaining film that can be enjoyed and understood by a wider range of audiences.
Directors Statement
This story has been developed to observe the choices that Ryo will take when faced with her mother’s own misery that will consume both of them. The ending will be bitter-sweet, exploring how the illusion of something much bigger than ourselves is often far easier to accept than the circumstances of our own realities. How does the mind of a child react to something so taboo amongst adults? How do they perceive one horror when they are yet to see the rest of the world?
Why fund?
The project is extremely ambitious with its visual storytelling as we firmly believe in 'show, don't tell'. Our aim is to deliver an emotionally driven film that highlights the complex and sometimes problematic relationships within families struck with mental illness - especially when external help is unavailable or rejected. Whilst, also keeping the film digestible and captivating.
Due to the visual focus of this film, we will need your help to create what we believe is an important story and message. The funds will go towards the following things.
- The materials and construction of our set (design of the environment is of utmost importance).
- Transport costs of cast and crew as well as equipment.
- Camera/ sound equipment hire to ensure we are delivering the most professional looking and sounding film possible with our budget.
- Locations and special effects. There are extremely ambitious and visually interesting scenes that require special locations and these can get quite expensive!
Crew
We are also incredibly proud to have an extremely talented team behind the project.
Production
Robyn Leonard - Writer/ Director
Edson Ko - Producer
Sonia Vilkele - Assistant Producer
Elena Queally - First AD
Art Departmemt
Noah Demeuldre - Production Designer
Matt Scaburri - Assistant Art Department
Anne Braatz - Costume Designer
Ai He - Costume
Camera Department
Matthew White - Director of Photography
Vivek Bhadra - First AC
Matthew Allsop - Second AC/ Sound Design
We will appreciate any donation amount as every little bit counts towards our end goal - If you are unable to help us through donations you can help us by sharing this GoFundMe page!
Organizer
Edson Ko
Organizer