Dear Family, Friends, and Partners! Welcome to my IndieGoGo Campaign! I’m looking to raise funds for my next project, a psychological horror film titled: The Horror. The universality of the name is intentional as my goal is to craft a truly existential horror experience. A cinematic, atmospheric, psycho-analytic nosedive into a painterly nightmare about the consequences of being denied an identity. THAT is The Horror and what I intend to explore in this film.

ABOUT

The Horror is set against the stunning backdrop of rural South Africa and focuses on a terribly under socialized, not-so-young, man whose life has become toxically enmeshed with his ailing Mother. When his mother dies under unusual circumstances, unnamed “Son” is left with grief and no sense of his own identity. Religious dogma, paternal hierarchy, sexual repression, and family trauma spiral towards a bloody, nightmarish climax.

Location scouting has already begun and I am tremendously excited to reunite with Gareth Koorzen (Black Jade, The One You Feed, Rebel//Rebel) in the starring role. Principle cast and crew will be sourced from South Africa, New York, and Los Angeles.

THE GOAL

We need to raise 55,000USD to make this film. This equates to an effective budget of 903,000ZAR (South African Rand) as principal photography will occur in and around Cape Town, this will simultaneously stretch our dollar further and place The Horror in a competitive ranking alongside breakout films of similar investment. In addition to individual contributions, various packaged perks and investment opportunities are available:

SUPPORTERS – $500

Social Media Investor shoutout (includes your picture in a Post, Story, and Tweet)

Private invitation (+1) to the U.S. Premiere (TBD)

Your Name or In Memory dedication during end credits

DEEP SUPPORTERS – $2000

Social Media Investor shoutout (includes your picture in a Post, Story, and Tweet)

“Associate Producer” title during end credits

Private invitation (+1) to the U.S. Premiere (TBD)

Private dinner party with myself and principle cast in New York City

PRODUCERS – $5000

Social Media Investor shoutout (includes your picture in a Post, Story, and Tweet)

“Executive Producer” title during end credits

Private invitation (+2) to the World Premiere (TBD)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS – $10,000

Primary production credit: “A John Doe Production” during opening credits

Personal invitation to tour with the film on the festival circuit as Producer 

Monthly financial report from production with statements 

20% backend on first theatrical returns 

The Horror checks multiple boxes as a solid investment based on: Genre, budget, international audience appeal, and prior success of the filmmaker. There is a probability model within the industry that potentially suggests moderate to significant ROI. Comparable films based on these metrics included:

The Blair Witch Project 

Budget: $60,000 // Box Office: $248 Million

Paranormal Activity

Budget: $15,000 // Box Office: $193 Million

Halloween

Budget: $325,000 // Box Office: $70 Million

Night Of The Living Dead

Budget: $114,000 // Box Office: $30 Million

Open Water

Budget: $114,000 // Box Office: $30 Million

Friday The 13th

Budget: $550,000 // Box Office: $59.8 Million

Psycho Budget: $800,000 // Box Office: $50 Million

This is a short list but the potential for low-budget Horror films is greater than ever. The synergy between major streaming platforms and foreign sales markets is solidified by their mutually insatiable appetite for content. It is truly an exciting time to produce meaningful work for an interconnected, global audience!

For questions about how funds will be dispersed, please email me and production will provide a complete breakdown of the current budget. Contributions will be secured in a private US Bank account with monthly email updates for all my supporters so everyone can stay informed on the production’s status and completion.

BACKSTORY

My debut film Black Jade was produced for $20,000USD (by private investors) and debuted at Oldenburg International Film Festival (dubbed Germany’s “Sundance Film Festival”) in 2020 and was subsequently Nominated for the German Independence Award // Audience Award. The Richmond International Film Festival followed soon after with a Best of Festival nomination before going on to receive Honorable Mentions from the Santa Monica International Film Festival, New York Movie Awards, and numerous Official Selections from the Kalakari Film Festival (India), LA Indie Film Fest, and the San Antonio Film Festival. I was personally honored with multiple Best Director accolades at 8&HalFilm Awards (Italy) and The Gladiator Film Festival (Turkey). Black Jade was a Semi-Finalist at the coveted Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival and won Best Independent Film at Hollywood On The Tiber Film Awards (Italy).

The overwhelming recognition for a micro-budget feature film was truly a welcomed surprise! But the best news was still to come! World distribution rights were inked with LA-based Indie Rights whose dedicated team, led by Linda Nelson and Michael Madison, took Black Jade to Marché du Film (a leading global film industry organization associated with the Cannes Film Festival) and has already secured international streaming rights for Taiwan and major North American streaming platforms including Amazon Prime, GooglePlay, YouTubeTV, and Tubi. These AVOD and SVOD platforms have already seen financial returns and we still have the American Film Market in Santa Monica this November! International press, festivals, and critics have also weighed in:

“If one is looking for a modern film noir, then rest assured, the search is over.”

-Bobby LePire, Film Threat

“Black Jade is a must-watch for the lovers of cinema alike…It is a story about human beings, their nefarious potential and where it could take them.”

-4th Dimension International Film Festival

“A visual maelstrom, so beautiful, so intoxicating and so unreliable in distinguishing between madness and reality.”

-Oldenburg International Film Festival

“Black Jade is an art film thriller that is stunningly shot and filled with imaginative cinematography…”

-Patrick Foley, UK Film Review

THE LAST WORD

Thank you for your time and attention! My goal is to share this film with you by fall of 2023, whether in-person at a festival red carpet gala or streaming on your QLED at home. I thank you in advance for your support!

–Guy Longstreet