Violet Daze  |  Body Horror Proof of Concept Short Film

We are seeking funding to help us produce a high quality short film called 'Violet Daze' that will serve as a proof of concept for a feature film.

We have been developing a feature film with the same name and have been working on the project for over a year. We see the best way to approach seeking funding for the feature is to have a whole package that includes a successful short film (this project) as a proof of concept and proof of our skills, and a feature script, which we are concurrently working on. The project is live action, with actors and prosthetics, locations and lots and lots of gore.

We are huge horror film buffs. We love horror but have not had a chance to really delve into it and make a really good one. Horror can be a great way to explore fears and ideas, extensions of the everyday to their horrific extremes.

This project is body horror, think Mary Shelly's Frankenstein or the work of David Cronenberg (The Fly, Videodrome). It's about deconstruction/reconstruction of the human body that is visceral but also an exploration of the human condition. In our film two young girls, best friends, are described as 'joined at the hip', 'inseparable' and 'two of a kind'. We take that to the logical extreme. They want those metaphors to be real, they want to be conjoined so they can never be apart. When one of the girls is moving away, the other is forced to act. We use flashbacks to show that this has been a moment years in the making. Then, in the tradition of the genre, things get gory and tragic. The feature film expands on the world and characters that we will distill in this short.

The short film will be undertaken this year, with the film being completed by the end of 2019/early 2020.

VIOLET DAZE
WEBSITE  |  INSTAGRAM  |  FACEBOOK  |  NEWSLETTER

Violet Daze Animated Opening Title Sequence

The Team

DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER  |  MARISA MARTIN
WEBSITE  |  INSTAGRAM  |  FACEBOOK  |  IMDB

Marisa Martin has fifteen years experience in producing and creating media content and has the capacity and experience to make the film. Marisa and her sister Clare have a lot of love and drive for this project, which in some ways is more important than experience in ensuring the project is completed.

PRODUCER/WRITER  |  CLARE LANGSFORD
PORTFOLIO  |  IMDB

Clare Langsford has experience in writing and producing both long and short form film content. She is an experienced actor on stage and screen. Marisa and Clare being sisters allows them to bring a level of understanding and connection to the project. Clare also has a Forensic Science degree which will be helpful to the production.

PRODUCTION DESIGNER  |  JANINE JEFFREYS
WEBSITE  |  IMDB

Janine Jeffreys has worked with Marisa as an art director on many projects. She will bring the right look to the piece to ensure it is memorable, visually striking and meaningful. Janine will serve as the whole-of-art department on the film. If we are able to secure more than the minimum, we would look to add an assistant to her department.

CINEMATOGRAPHER  |  ROBB SHAW VELZEN ACS
WEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  IMDB

Robb Shaw Velzen ACS is a highly experienced cinematographer Marisa has known and worked with over many years. He brings a stylistic eye and willingness to experiment that will bring the appropriate visual style and quality to the project. 

COMPOSER  |  MUNRO MELANO
WEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  YOUTUBE  |  IMDB

Munro Melano has composed the music for several of Marisa's films in the past. His credits also include music for feature documentaries as well as being a talented solo musician. 

Violet Daze Animated Opening Title Sequence

The film's whole budget is around $70,000. We are have managed to gather about $67,000 made up of $50,000 in support/donated services and fees and a $17,000 grant from Screen Canberra. But we still need to raise another $3,000 cash to make the film.

We are seeking funding to cover the following elements of the production:

- additional prosthetics that are the heart of the film

- covering all of the equipment hire (cameras and lighting)

- adding an assistant to the Art Department

If we are able to raise more than the $3,000, we will look to add (depending on the amount over):

- more prosthetics (more gore!)

- a built set - would allow us greater flexibility in shooting and a better end result

- well known, recognisable cast that will give greater exposure to the film

- a cover of a very well known song to enhance the ending of the film (this will cost $3,000 on its own, so we'd need to really go over the goal for this one).

Violet Daze Animated Opening Title Sequence