Night of Silence -- NYU Thesis Short Film

Henry Armstrong is organizing this fundraiser.

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LOGLINE:

Two teenagers chaperone a church choir's overnight during a snowstorm.

MISSION STATEMENT:

I am interested in portraying a narrative about a group of people who fight battles within themselves against their own fears, their desires, and their hopes and dreams.

PLOT SUMMARY:

This 15-minute existential narrative film brings together 12 youth choir members to spend an overnight at their church. When a snowstorm of biblical proportions looms over the ancient stone church, the two bright-eyed teenaged chaperones must figure out a way to quell the children's anxieties. However, when one of the children goes missing during a chaotic game of hide-n-seek, the two chaperones must confront ugly truths about themselves in order to recover the boy and outlast the storm.

This project is the culmination of my degree at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, the highest ranked film school in the world. For the past four years, I have studied the craft of filmmaking at the highest level, allowing me to demystify the filmmaking process and find my voice.

This is the largest film I've made to-date. We have an ensemble cast of professional youth talent, and will shoot in an historic church in upstate New York. This production is proudly sponsored by From The Heart Productions, who are donating their 501(c)3 non-profit status to the film so that every donation is tax-deductible. We are also collaborating with the Environmental Media Association to make this production environmentally conscious, limiting waste and promoting sustainable practices.

THE CHURCH:

We will be shooting this film in the historic Christ Church in Bronxville, NY.

WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING:

This is the largest production of mine to-date, and I will make sure that every dollar raised for this film goes towards serving the story and supporting the talent. A quarter of the budget will be spent compensating the location, and thirty percent will go towards feeding and transporting our talent -- made up of over fifteen young actors.

THE TEAM:

Henry Armstrong - Writer/Director

Henry is a New York based filmmaker from Chicago Illinois. His latest film, 'The Stain', was a finalist at NYU's New Visions and Voices Festival.

Sebastian Zufelt - Producer

Sebastian is a filmmaker based in Seattle and New York City. A graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, his films have screened at festivals worldwide. Recently, he participated in the Reykjavík International Film Festival Talent Lab, where his film 'Third' was nominated for the Golden Egg Award. He has worked in film distribution and education at A24 Films and Northwest Film Forum.

MJ Briggs Addington - Producer

MJ is a Hawaiian-Filipino producer who hails from a military-family background. Having lived around the world, from Hawai’i to Germany, MJ has experienced a multitude of cultures that have formed his perspective in life. Being a part of the world of film, he has also worn many hats, working as a Co-Producer for award-winning film Perlita, Social Media Manager for El Pumita, and an actor in various films.

Lacey Hardy - Casting Director

Lacey Hardy is a current senior at NYU, studying Film & Television with a minor in Dramatic Literature. She hails from Baltimore, MD, and has had extensive experience in casting, directing, intimacy coordination, and camera work during her time at NYU. Recently, Lacey completed an internship at JV8INC as a casting assistant. She is interested in exploring idiosyncratic subject matters that persuade the audience to see the world through a warped lens, and to truly believe the “what-ifs” that filmmaking strengthens.

Lauren Luke - Assistant Director

Lauren was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii and moved to New York City in 2021 to study Film and Television Production at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She is also pursuing minors in the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology, and in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies. Lauren aims to preserve her cultures through narrative and ethnographic non-fiction works, and is especially fascinated by child-driven stories. She is thrilled and honored to work on Henry’s thesis.

Cole Fletchall-Silva - Director of Photography

Cole is a cinematographer at NYU Tisch School of the Arts in his senior year. Born in the Bay Area and based in NYC, Cole has worked on numerous short films, music videos and commercials. He recently shot his first feature film. Raised on the movies of the 70’s as well as filmmakers of today, Cole is excited to bring his film literacy and experience together to tell the story of “A Night of Silence.”

Mercy Bauer - Production Designer

A recent NYU Tisch Film & TV graduate, Mercy is an aspiring writer, producer, and production designer. She has a passion for people, driven by an endless curiosity and desire to further understand what may not be so obvious. Mercy has written two feature length scripts, four shorts and a TV pilot, and works passionately on projects in a wide range of positions. Most recently, she was awarded “Best Production Design” at the New Visions and Voices Festival for her work on “The Stain”, directed by Henry Armstrong.

June Jung - Sound Mixer

June is a filmmaker, composer, and sound recordist from Seoul, South Korea, currently based in Brooklyn, New York.

Adam Leduc - Composer

Adam Leduc (b. 1999) is a composer and pianist based in New York City. His passion for music started with the piano, which he began playing at two years old. His interest in composition grew out of his piano studies, and a desire to express inexplicable and irrational subjects central to the human condition, and what it means to be a mindful being in the universe. The precipice of existential thought is something he finds can only be satisfied and expressed through writing and creating music. Leduc possesses a strong passion for romantic and neo-romantic writing, with the infusion of several serial elements ranging from tone rows to spectral orchestration. His primary area of interest is in the acoustic realm with large and sweeping orchestral works, intimate and fragile chamber works, as well as a comprehensive familiarity with extended techniques to create unique soundscapes. In addition to the concert stage, he also has extensive experience in media composing, where he strives to integrate a wide array of compositional techniques to create music that best suits the idiosyncrasies of every project.

INCENTIVES:

We are happy to provide incentives for each benchmark donation.

$25 - SOCIAL MEDIA SHOUTOUT

We will give you a special shout-out on our social media page!

$50 - THANK YOU NOTE

You will receive a personalized thank you note from Henry, thanking you for your contribution.

$100 - BEHIND THE VEIL

You will have access to behind the scenes photos and videos, showing how the film comes to life!

$250 - SPECIAL THANKS

This Incentive will give you a special thanks in the credits.

$500 - EARLY ACCESS

You will be given early access to the edit, before the film is available to the public.

$1000 - ON-SET SHOUTOUT

You will receive a personalized video from a lead actor on set, addressed to you, thanking you for your contribution and sharing some special behind-the-scenes action.

$2000 - INVITATION TO CAST + CREW SCREENING