"SCREWTAPE": Short Film Fund

LOGLINE: SCREWTAPE, loosely inspired by CS Lewis’s demonic epistolary novel of the same name as well as elements of Jewish absurdist literature, centers on a day in the life of Maurice, a put-upon young professional whose attempts to retrieve an important missing letter belonging to his enigmatic European father grow increasingly surreal.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Maurice, an anxious young New Yorker, is woken by a four a.m. phone call. At the other end of the line comes the voice of his eccentric, mysterious European father, speaking to him on a scratchy satellite phone from somewhere in the “sub-tropics.” He gives his put-upon son an urgent mission: “It seems a very important letter has been delivered to our old apartment… I need you to go immediately and fetch it for me. Keep it safe till I return…” So begins a surreal, darkly comic fever dream leading Maurice across a deranged, salacious version of New York City, with a seemingly innocuous Brooklyn bar as the seat of his terrors and desires.

MEET THE CAST & CREW

LUKE SIMBOLI (DIRECTOR) is a Brooklyn-based independent filmmaker interested in direct cinema and irreverent comedy. He has produced and contributed to several documentary and narrative projects, including a feature documentary shot in Cameroon, AN AFRICAN TALE. He holds a degree in History from the University of St Andrews.

Originally from New York City, DYLAN SPRINGER (WRITER) is a London-based writer with a particular interest in absurdist literature and dark comedy. He graduated from the universities of St Andrews and Cambridge with degrees in history and politics.

DANIEL KOUBA (CINEMATOGRAPHER) is an NYC-based cinematographer, photographer, business owner, and Wisconsin native. He is an accomplished sports and nature documentarian, producing numerous pieces of work and commercial projects on these subjects. He also recently served as the director of photography of AN AFRICAN TALE, a feature-length documentary shot in Cameroon.

JAKE METZGER (PRODUCER/ASSISTANT DIRECTOR) is an NYC-based indie producer and filmmaker with an interest in comedy and the surreal. JAKE holds a degree in marketing and film from The Ohio State University and has contributed to several high-profile productions in New York and Oklahoma, such as FALLOUT and RESERVATION DOGS.

Originally from Oklahoma, OHIA MORRISON (PRODUCER) is an NYC-based producer and executive producer of native Hawaiian descent. In 2023, he launched Halawai Film Festival, NYC’s first film festival for Polynesians and Pacific Islanders. Ohia’s work spans all things film, media, and entertainment, including sports broadcasting, feature film, talk show, comedy, and fashion. Ohia holds a degree in Advertising from the University of Oklahoma.

Brother to OHIA, JACK MORRISON (COMPOSER) is an accomplished saxophonist, singer, and composer based in Oklahoma.

Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, WALKER SNOW HARRISON (ACTOR, "MAURICE") is an NYC-based actor, writer, and drama professor. WALKER holds an MFA in Acting from SCAD University.

Hailing from Fort Worth, Texas, MICHAEL R. DOUGLASS (ACTOR, "PAPA" & "RUSSELL") is a Connecticut-based actor, director, and producer. Recently, MICHAEL completed a country-wide travelling show circuit of the musical WAITRESS, starring as JOE, the diner owner.

NIALL POWDERLY (ACTOR, "PADDY") is an NYC-based SAG actor with credits in New Amsterdam and Quantico. He holds a BFA from New York University and an MFA from Yale.

WHAT YOUR MONEY WILL BE USED FOR

Making a film, even a short one like SCREWTAPE, is always a money-intensive endeavor. This is a passion project, so we’re self-funding the majority of the production and are fortunate enough to have secured time and equipment gratis from a number of valued contributors. However, we’re seeking a final $2,000 USD to push this project over the finish line. Your money will be used for equipment rentals, insurance, craft services, music composition, editing, and distribution.

All donors will have their names mentioned in the credits and will receive an invitation to a catered, private screening of the film in New York or London (according to their declared preference).