Sun Poisoning - Short Film Production Fund

Made by Scarborough locals, Sun Poisoning is a coming-of-age short film that follows Ellie and Neil – a young couple who begin to realize that the foundation of their lifelong relationship is not as rigid and steadfast as they once thought. Coming to terms with losing what was once an anchor point of certainty, they embark on a poignant journey as they navigate towards unfamiliar roads apart.

In one way or another, the Sun Poisoning team has found the plaintive feelings of waning intimacy have touched us all – be it in a relationship, friendship or family. Our goal is to use cinematic language to express this feeling in an honest and affecting way on screen, using the medium as a means of expressing our personal experiences and hopefully coaxing the audience to reflect on their own.

If you choose to generously contribute to our production, rest assured that funds will be properly allocated. We are planning to use the majority of our funding to renting equipment for our camera and sound departments, funding will also be provided to our production and costume designers to ensure they can execute their visions in dressing both our sets and actors. In addition, we aim to create a comfortable experience for our beloved cast and crew by providing hearty meals (not pizza) and transportation to and from set, keeping them not only happy but energized for our shooting days. For donors who are curious as to how exactly their contributions will be spent, we can provide a more detailed budget breakdown upon request.

Having already completed casting and arrangement of crew, we are currently planning to complete shooting in mid-December. From there, the post production process will begin as we piece together our footage on the cutting room floor and tweak our future score accordingly. After completion, a public release of the film will be delayed as we will attempt to submit the work to a variety of film festivals – however, private links for those who wish to view the film can be arranged.

Every contribution no matter how small or how large helps our team create the best version possible for our short film. Sun Poisoning could not be made without the support from the community around us, and we express a great gratitude in advance towards any help.

If you do not have the means to provide a donation at this point; you can show your support by sharing this page and spreading the word about our film Sun Poisoning.

About The Team:

Writer and director Chelsea Williams is a recent graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University. Chelsea's passion for storytelling and sharing life experiences has been a driving force since her early years. Her journey in filmmaking began at the age of eleven, starting out on YouTube, where she meticulously scripted, filmed, and edited videos, making her fond of storytelling and sharing life experiences. Chelsea's creative compass invariably guides her toward exploring the intricacies of characters within slice-of-life themes. Her narrative interests revolve around the universal human experiences of growing up and the art of externalizing internal conflicts. In each of her projects, she weaves a tapestry of emotions, taking the audience on a journey through her characters' raw and authentic struggles.

Producer Adrian Hiltschuk's love for everything film and television was planted early in his life, cultivated by the process of creating rudimentary shorts with his cousin during the early days of YouTube and unfettered access to his uncle’s diverse DVD collection (he will never quell the menacing yet intriguing feeling impressed upon him at eight years old by the imagery of Count Orlok’s deep shadow creeping across frame in Nosferatu (1922)). Inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s early tenure as an editorial staff photographer, Adrian purchased his first stills camera at 14 to hone his cinematic eye and has been shooting ever since. His infatuation with media stayed with him throughout his high school’s performing arts program and into post-secondary, where he majored in English literature and Cinema Studies at the University of Toronto. Adrian currently works at Henry’s camera store in Scarborough – a perfect outlet to share his expertise and affection for photography and cinema with novices and professionals alike.

Director of Photography Ethan Mitchell is inspired by the works of Cinematographers such as Van Hoytema and Roger Deakins, Ethan Noel Mitchell is a local Scarborough Cinematographer and Videographer who has worked in the many creative spaces of Toronto from live performance recordings of @stringsofparis to promotional work for @torontotourism & @uoft. During the last couple days of elementary, Mr Alexander (Music Teacher) would put on West Side Story (1961) on the class projector introducing a whole new appreciation for the Performance Arts and film as a medium. Later that summer Adrian H would put introduce classic films by Stanley Kubrick such as Clock Work Orange, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Full Metal Jacket which would go on to influence Ethan’s perspective on cinema as more than just an visual art but away to explore the many perspectives of the human experience.

No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to our GoFundMe.