Elf Boy - A High Fantasy, Action Comedy Short Film

Ethan Hiew is organizing this fundraiser.

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Hi! I'm Ethan Hiew, the Director of Elf Boy!

I’m a senior Film Production major with a double minor in Screenwriting and Classics & Archaeology at Loyola Marymount University. I’m a screenwriter, director, and visual effects artist with a deep love for storytelling, but also a huge nerd for things like video games and Dungeons & Dragons.

Pictured: Me!

Pictured: My friends and I playing Dungeons & Dragons!

More than that, though, I’m someone who’s learned to tell powerful stories in a medium that can be challenging for me due to my visual impairment. As someone who is low vision, I face unique challenges in an art form that’s inherently visual. But despite these challenges, I’ve continued to push forward, bringing creative visions to life that you won’t find anywhere else.

Pictured: It Didn't Have to End Like This, dir. Ethan Hiew

My journey as a filmmaker has been shaped by both my passion for the craft and my personal experiences growing up, which bring me to my senior thesis project: Elf Boy.

What is Elf Boy?

"When his aging adventuring party can no longer join him, Elf Boy, an elf over a thousand years old, must find new allies to stop a rising evil that threatens to steal the time of others and force him to confront what truly matters before time runs out—for everyone."

Elf Boy is a high-fantasy action-comedy short film that explores themes of time, friendship, growing up, and holding on to the things of your youth—even when the world around you seems to leave them behind. This story is close to my heart, as it reflects my own experiences of seeing my friends "grow out of" hobbies we once shared (such as video games and Dungeons & Dragons).

Film Comp: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Pictured: Elf Boy in Resignation, dir. Ethan Hiew

The film is also a spinoff prequel to my previous work, Resignation, a superhero action-comedy horror from my junior year, and marks a key milestone in my growth as a filmmaker. With Elf Boy, I’m bringing together everything I’ve learned at LMU, both as an artist and as a person. As such, this short film and the story it tells means a lot to me both personally and professionally. Filled with comedic and powerful moments, cinematography, real stunts, practical and visual effects, my goal is to create something visually stunning, narratively engaging, and, most importantly, fun!

Film: Resignation, dir. Ethan Hiew

Production Needs

Pictured: BTS of Resignation, dir. Ethan Hiew

I plan to shoot this film on March 14-16th, and my current budget for this film is around $8-8.5K. Any money you contribute will go directly into funding this film and making it as good as possible! Logistics such as licensing, equipment, stunt coordination, production design and costuming all cost money, and the more that is put in financially into this film, the higher quality result will come out.

Specifically, for this film the biggest costs I will need to cover, by order of expense, are for permitting shooting locations, costuming, production design/set dressing, stunt coordination, practical special and digital visual effects, and money to cover the costs of feeding my cast and crew - all costs that can total hundreds of dollars on their own. I currently have a very talented crew of student filmmakers and professionals working with me on this project, and any bit of contribution will enable us to truly do our best work.

If you donate to this film, you will be given the recognition you deserve as a contributer in the credits of the short film. You are free to give us a preferred name or pseudonym for this credit if you wish.

If the funds goal of this campaign is not reached, not to worry - all of the funds raised will still go 100% into developing this film. We will do our best with the funds we have to make the best film possible!

Pictured: BTS of Resignation, dir. Ethan Hiew

Other Ways to Help

If you can't contribute financially at this time, not to worry! There are other ways to help out:

Get the word out about my film and my campaign! Share the project to your family and friends!
We are also looking for some additional actors and crew for this film! If you know anyone that would be potentially interested in working in production or post-production on this project, feel free to send their contact information to me!
Watch the film when it is released! I plan on publishing a finished cut of this film Fall 2025.

If you have any questions about the project, don't hesitate to reach out to me!

I can’t wait to share this film with you all and make you laugh, reflect, and maybe even feel a little nostalgic. Your support will help bring this vision to life, and I appreciate every contribution, no matter the size. It truly means the world to me as I continue on this quest, and I’m incredibly grateful for any help in bringing Elf Boy to life. Thank you for being part of this adventure!