The Colour of Blood - A Short Film
THE COLOUR OF BLOOD
A Short Film by Shahid Malik
INTRODUCTION
My name is Shahid Malik and I am a Writer-Director base in London, UK. I have written and directed 5 short films and "The Colour of Blood" is set to be my most ambitious project yet. I believe that it is an important and powerful work and one that I hope will encourage audiences to think about ethnic minority identity in Britain and the state of the British film industry today. Writing the film has been very long process and getting the film off the ground has been even tougher. Over the last two years I have assembled a team of professionals with whom I will make this film and in this campaign I am asking for your support to make this film.
So, why are we making a short film? Short films are a unique form of storytelling; highly sought after, yet not generally screened in your local cinema. Defined by the British Film Institute, American Film Institute and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as any film with a run time of less than 40 minutes, today they are used as the foundation of a filmmaker’s career. Filmmakers make them to cut their teeth, gain experience and reputation, and they act as a vital stepping stone to making full-length feature films. Festivals across the globe select and screen short films, and producers and other creatives use them as a way to find new talent and profitable filmmakers.
Once completed, “The Colour of Blood” will be submitted to film festivals all over the world. These include the BFI London Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival and many more. Our ultimate aim is to be shortlisted for the Academy Awards and BAFTAs. For me, this film is an opportunity to showcase my talent across the world and establish a foothold in the global film industry.
Short films are generally non-profits endeavours and as such are usually funded privately, by individuals and through crowdfunding. They can be hugely rewarding and can introduce the world to the next big filmmakers.
Due to their length and budgets, short films often explore one or two main themes and give an audience a brief look into their world. This particular short film, "The Colour of Blood", is what we believe to be a unique and special story that focuses on British ethnic minority identity.
STORY
Driven by his friends and rising racial tension in his hometown, Nasir, a young British Pakistani man, seeks revenge for the brutal murder of his older brother. On a dark journey through the English wilderness, Nasir begins to reflect on his ability to carry out his act of vengeance.
The Colour of Blood is an experimental narrative short film that explores a young man’s struggle with his identity. With limited dialogue and an emphasis on hyperbole and fantasy, the film is an effort to present the idea of identity in a unique and experiential way using a narrative framework to act as a vehicle for its ideas.
CREATIVE CONCEPT
The Colour of Blood handles commonly overlooked themes in British cinema. I believe that the power of the film lies in its meaningful and thought-provoking ideas that will hopefully provoke greater discussion about British identity amongst ethnic minorities.
This story is a unique way to introduce audiences to the underlying issues of British identity. The hyperbolic and fantastical plot is intentionally melodramatic but retains a sharp reminder of past and present ethnic minority experiences in Britain. The UK film industry is full of meaningful voices, but there is a lack of representation amongst ethnic minorities, particularly in those of British creatives from an Asian ethnic background. The Colour of Blood is a tale of lost identity and resentment. Oftentimes, simple questions like “Where are you from?” carry with the so many connotations and assumptions that after a polite response, an individual from an ethnic minority background in Britain is left, although outwardly silent, with their true feelings simmering under the surface. The Colour of Blood allows those feelings to surface through Nasir. His story allows a unique expression of these feelings and through Nasir, I hope to give audiences a window into the mind of someone like myself.
My vision for The Colour of Blood is one that is intentionally incongruous and unashamedly dark. This dark fantasy combines the colour of Western pop culture with the unsavoury ideas of a lost identity. My vision combines ideas of violence and existentialism with a strange beauty. The film’s setting, the English wilderness, is integral to ideas of identity and belonging and sweeping landscape photography and hypnotic dolly shots combine to present a mind obsessed with beauty but entranced by fantasies of violence.
The Colour of Blood is quite a personal film, but draws additionally on cinematic literacy and hyperbole to tell an important story of belonging. In today's Britain, it is a film that we trust will resonate with audiences and encourage new voices.
HOW MUCH ARE WE ASKING FOR?
To make this ambitious film we require £20,000.
We are grateful for any contributions you would like to make. Every little helps, so even if you’re only able to contribute five pounds, it will help keep the cast and crew fed. However, the more you are willing to invest, the more we can accomplish!
WHY INVEST?
"The Colour of Blood" is an ambitious project and we need your help and support to make it a reality. Public film funding is very sparse at the moment and as an expensive industry, making a film that lives up to the high production values expected for festival entry, can be very difficult without large budgets. For "The Colour of Blood" we have managed to chip away at our budget in order to reach the lowest possible production cost while maintaining confidence to meet the high standards required for success on the film festival circuit.
Your investment will help us achieve our dreams and allow us to produce film that we can send all over the world for audiences to enjoy. This is an opportunity for you to help us make our best work to date. This film is an important production for ethnic minority representation and aims to give those underrepresented a voice. So, your money is not only going to a unique and exciting film, but also a greater cause for ethnic diversity and representation in the media. We hope, with the success of this project, to move swiftly on to endeavours where we are able to make a real impact.
We believe this is an important story that will capture audiences around the world, particularly in the UK. This is an opportunity to join us on our journey to create a film that will be screened all over the world. Of course, the benefits of being a financier exceed simply the satisfaction of supporting our filmmaking careers. As a contributor, you will be eligible for exclusive rewards including regular updates on the status of the film, access to an exclusive online screener of the finished film, and a link to behind-the-scenes videos images. Please find an outline below.
REWARDS AND INCENTIVES
We would like to thank everyone who supports this project in the best way we can. In order to do this we have decided to offer a reward to every single contributor. Please see below to find out what you will receive!
For those looking to start careers as film financiers or film aficionados, we have Associate Producer and Executive Producer credits up for grabs! These credits will, in traditional fashion appear at the end of the film and every credit will of course be listed on IMDb and all promotional materials.
For your valuable contributions you will be given the following rewards:
£25
Thank You message from the Writer-Director
Be the first to see the finished film with access to a Private Online Screener of the film.
£50
Thank You message from the Writer-Director
Access to Private Online Screener of the film
Access to Behind-the-Scenes videos and Photographs
£100
Access to Private Online Screener
Access to Behind-the-Scenes videos and Photographs
Digital Copy of the Poster for the film with a Thank You message
Downloadable Soundtrack
£500+
Access to Private Online Screener
Access to Behind-the-Scenes videos and Photographs
Digital Copy of the Poster for the film with a Thank You message
A Press Kit
Downloadable Soundtrack
'Special Thanks' Credit at the end of the film!
£1,000+
Access to Private Online Screener
Access to Behind-the-Scenes videos and Photographs
Digital Copy of the Poster for the film with a Thank You message
A Press Kit
Downloadable Soundtrack
'Associate Producer' Credit at the end of the film
£2,000+
Taking things a step further, any amount in excess of this will be rewarded with an Executive Producer credit. You will also be invited to the exclusive Cast and Crew screening where the film will be seen in its completed form for the very first time. You will also enjoy access to all the rewards in the £500+ bracket.
REACHING FOR THE STARS
We will be working with hugely talented individuals to ensure that the film meets our expectations. We hope to work with a professional and successful cast, targeting the likes of Riz Ahmed and Dev Patel for the lead role. To achieve this, we will be working with a Casting Director who has a decorated CV and years of experience in the film industry. Our cinematographer has worked on popular commercials and music videos as well as acclaimed short films. Furthermore, we intend to work with established film labs and post production facilities to ensure the final product is polished and ready for viewing on the silver screen. Our talented cast and crew will contribute their expertise and talent to the production and you can rest assured that we are very discerning in our choice of individuals to work with. Your money will help fund all of the above. If you would like more detailed information about the budget please get in touch (see below).
DONATING IN PERSON
We understand that not everyone is comfortable using the internet, so if you would rather make a donation with cash, a cheque or through bank transfer please contact us using the details below.
GET IN TOUCH
If you would like to be a part of this film or have any questions, feel free to contact our Producer or Director, whose details you will find below. Please take care to include the project title in the subject field!
Shahid Malik (Writer & Director/Producer)
Email: [email redacted].uk
Nathan R. Wilson (Producer)
Email: [email redacted]
Thanking you in advance.
Yours Sincerely,
Shahid