The Best Way To Kill Your Mother
A$4,125
of $4,000 targetyrs ago
Successful on 14th Aug 2014 at 8:31AM.
‘The Best Way To Kill Your Mother’ explores the depths of dark comedy in an offbeat tale of love, family, dementia and chickens (not necessarily in that order…).
Alice, 36, lives at home with her dementia driven mother, Grace, a former chef who mentally and emotionally resides in 1984. As Grace swings in and out of reality, Alice is left to deal with the destruction in her wake… and a growing number of chickens that are slowly taking over the house.
As a way of dealing with her building anger and resentment, Alice seeks help from her very odd counselor, Dr. Klug, whose own mother issues spill out through her unconventional advice. Alice is asked to think about all the ways she could kill her mother as a therapeutic exercise. This, however, becomes a very real danger as she struggles to separate fantasy from reality.
The Best Way To Kill Your Mother, written and directed by graduating Masters student and chicken enthusiast, Ruby Railey ,and produced by Masters of Producing student, Jess Langley, will be a 15 minute short film exploring the nature of familial relationships under strain.
We will be shooting for 7 days at the end of July/beginning of August on beautiful 16mm film – a rare treat for us filmies in this day and age.
We hope to bring our film (and our chickens) to the world via international film festivals but our first stop will be the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, where it will screen alongside the other wonderful graduate films this December.
Alice, 36, lives at home with her dementia driven mother, Grace, a former chef who mentally and emotionally resides in 1984. As Grace swings in and out of reality, Alice is left to deal with the destruction in her wake… and a growing number of chickens that are slowly taking over the house.
As a way of dealing with her building anger and resentment, Alice seeks help from her very odd counselor, Dr. Klug, whose own mother issues spill out through her unconventional advice. Alice is asked to think about all the ways she could kill her mother as a therapeutic exercise. This, however, becomes a very real danger as she struggles to separate fantasy from reality.
The Best Way To Kill Your Mother, written and directed by graduating Masters student and chicken enthusiast, Ruby Railey ,and produced by Masters of Producing student, Jess Langley, will be a 15 minute short film exploring the nature of familial relationships under strain.
We will be shooting for 7 days at the end of July/beginning of August on beautiful 16mm film – a rare treat for us filmies in this day and age.
We hope to bring our film (and our chickens) to the world via international film festivals but our first stop will be the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, where it will screen alongside the other wonderful graduate films this December.
Who The Heck Are We?!
Ruby, originally from New Zealand, has written and directed a number of short films over the last few years. She's had several films screen in competition at local and international festivals, and her latest film, Rot, has just been accepted into Columbia Gorge International Film Festival in Vancouver, VOB International Film Festival in New York and the Los Angeles Diversity Film Festival. Ruby's films often centre around subject matters relating to family, and issues that we, as people, struggle with on an every day level. She balances this with a strong comedic flare which finds its way into most of her writing.
Jess’ background is in film festivals and distribution – She worked for several years as the Program Coordinator at the Melbourne International Film Festival, before moving to the Toronto International Film Festival and has recently returned from New York, where she was Exhibitor Relations Manager for independent studio A24 Films. There she worked on the release campaigns for films including Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers and Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring – AKA she knows her stuff!
Our cinematographer is the wonderful Sherwin Akbarzadeh, who has shot and directed a number of short films, commercials and music videos. His work has screened at international film festivals, including Ann Arbor and the Sydney Biennale of Art. In 2009 Spike Lee chose his film I Had A Dream I Went To Coney Island for the Spike Lee Award at the Babelgum Online Film Festival. More information and show reel can be found at www.lightningstruckitself.com.
Jess’ background is in film festivals and distribution – She worked for several years as the Program Coordinator at the Melbourne International Film Festival, before moving to the Toronto International Film Festival and has recently returned from New York, where she was Exhibitor Relations Manager for independent studio A24 Films. There she worked on the release campaigns for films including Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers and Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring – AKA she knows her stuff!
Our cinematographer is the wonderful Sherwin Akbarzadeh, who has shot and directed a number of short films, commercials and music videos. His work has screened at international film festivals, including Ann Arbor and the Sydney Biennale of Art. In 2009 Spike Lee chose his film I Had A Dream I Went To Coney Island for the Spike Lee Award at the Babelgum Online Film Festival. More information and show reel can be found at www.lightningstruckitself.com.
How The Funds Will Be Used
Making films isn’t cheap! We have raised most of our budget on our own – but we need your (yes YOUR!) help to make this film a reality. Your generous donations will help us pay for some of the key elements of our film, including, but not limited to:
A Chicken Wrangler: Someone’s got to keep these chickens in check! A film set is a dangerous place for a chook. We need to get a professional chicken wrangler on board so that our fluffy little friends receive the attention and care that they deserve, whilst being a part of the film making process.
Film Stock: Shooting on film is a dying art and unlike Alice and her poor old mum Grace – we refuse to let this happen! We’re shooting on beautiful 16mm and although we have been able to source this amazing camera for free, we still need to pay for the stock and the processing of the film.
Feasting Like Gods: We'll be creating a plethora of incredible food, straight out of your Nan's 1970s cookbook (see video). Think Julia Child gone wrong (maybe just think Julia Child?) and an abundance of decorative carved fruits and vegetables.
Making films without people like you would be near impossible. Luckily you’re reading this, so we’re half way there! Over to right you’ll find some fantastic rewards for donating to our little film - some of which have been kindly donated by other passionate filmies so that we can show you just how appreciative we are for your help! If you’re low on $$$ right now, simply clicking share on facebook would be doing us a huge service!
A Chicken Wrangler: Someone’s got to keep these chickens in check! A film set is a dangerous place for a chook. We need to get a professional chicken wrangler on board so that our fluffy little friends receive the attention and care that they deserve, whilst being a part of the film making process.
Film Stock: Shooting on film is a dying art and unlike Alice and her poor old mum Grace – we refuse to let this happen! We’re shooting on beautiful 16mm and although we have been able to source this amazing camera for free, we still need to pay for the stock and the processing of the film.
Feasting Like Gods: We'll be creating a plethora of incredible food, straight out of your Nan's 1970s cookbook (see video). Think Julia Child gone wrong (maybe just think Julia Child?) and an abundance of decorative carved fruits and vegetables.
Making films without people like you would be near impossible. Luckily you’re reading this, so we’re half way there! Over to right you’ll find some fantastic rewards for donating to our little film - some of which have been kindly donated by other passionate filmies so that we can show you just how appreciative we are for your help! If you’re low on $$$ right now, simply clicking share on facebook would be doing us a huge service!
Chicken feed
We humbly thank you for your support! In return we shall shout your name from all the rooftops we come across… oh, and Facebook of course!
6 chosen
Est. delivery is Sep 14
Good egg!
Over easy? Scrambled? Poached? Either way… you are a good egg! You've helped us rent the services of a beautiful, free range hen! In return we'd love to give you a shout out on our Facebook page and send you a digital copy of the film when it's done!
16 chosen
Est. delivery is Dec 14
Nest egg
Your generous donation has gone towards the processing of our beautiful 16mm film. Sleep easy knowing your contribution will be etched onto glorious celluloid forever! To say thanks, we'll be including your name in the credits as well as bragging about you on Facebook. We'll also be sending you a digital copy of the film!
16 chosen
Est. delivery is Sep 14
Rule of the roost!
We won't look a gift chook in the mouth… You have gone above and beyond! Please accept our sincere thanks along with the above rewards. We'd also like to send you a copy of the script AND a double pass to see 20,000 Days On Earth (film is Melbourne only/season opening on Aug 21st).
6 chosen / 4 available
Est. delivery is Aug 14
A good lay!
Excuse us - we're just recovering from your eggs-treme generosity… You have made our outrageous 70s feast a reality! Please accept our sincere thanks, rewards 1, 2 and 3, a bound copy of the script AND an invitation to the cast and crew screening of the film (Melbourne only).
1 chosen / 4 available
Est. delivery is Dec 14
Bon Appétit
We are beyond grateful for your contribution. It's people like you who make films like this possible. Please accept, rewards 1, 2 and 3, and two stills from the film, along with an invitation to join the writer/director and producer for a home made chicken dinner so that we may have the opportunity to thank you in person (dinner available in Melbourne and Auckland only).
2 chosen / 2 available
Est. delivery is Sep 14
Official sponsor!
Welcome to our team! You are an official sponsor of The Best Way To Kill Your Mother and that makes us family (don't look so scared!). We'd love to offer you, or your business a tailor made sponsorship pack and two tickets to the graduate screening of our film at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.
0 chosen
Est. delivery is Dec 14