ACID TEST (short film)
Houston, Texas | Film Short
Drama, Family
A short film about dropping acid and going home to your parents! Set in the 90's with an ambitious visual scheme and rich sound design, ACID TEST had an amazing production and now needs funds for post-production and distribution to make the audience trip alongside Jenny.
ACID TEST (short film)
Houston, Texas | Film Short
Drama, Family
3 Campaigns | Texas, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $8,970 for post-production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
135 supporters | followers
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A short film about dropping acid and going home to your parents! Set in the 90's with an ambitious visual scheme and rich sound design, ACID TEST had an amazing production and now needs funds for post-production and distribution to make the audience trip alongside Jenny.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
ACID TEST is based on writer/director Jenny Waldo's own experience at 15. An absurd story set during a painful personal time, the heart of ACID TEST lies in the imtimate moments found amidst the chaos of hallucination. A parent's unconditional love. A question of why we love the people we do. A teenager figuring out who she is and who she wants to be. The story walks a fine balance between the absurdity of things that happen in life along with the pain of growing up in an entertaining, emotional, and authentic ride.
We shot overnight for 6 days during production. 375 takes. With a maximum of 10 usable hours per day to work with, that means we were rolling about every 10 minutes. Factoring in setups/adjustments for lighting, camera, wardrobe, makeup, production design, and more, our production ran at a hell of a pace and accomplished a ton! Even better, we still like each other and would do it all over again!
Everything looks amazing. Patrick Sane from BREAKING BAD brought his phenomenal range to the father role while Juliana DeStefano brought an abundance of dedication and emotional depth to the role of Jenny. Creating the character-Jenny's bedroom in all its 90's glory, Production Designer Jessica Flores used writer/director-Jenny's old concert flyers, artwork, movie stubs, clippings, and other keepsakes. Even the journal the character writes in and the dress she wears were original from that time period. To capture the sound of that era, we licensed 4 songs from the debut album of Houston band Giant Kitty who then performed the songs at the Dan Electro's Guitar Bar for the concert scenes. Giant Kitty captures the spirit of the Riot Grrrl bands of the 90's like Bikini Kill. They even pressed cassette tapes of their debut album!
Every single cast and crew member elevated the project far beyond what began as Jenny's personal story. It became everyone's story. Everyone contributed ideas and brought their A-game, investing a piece of themselves into making ACID TEST the best it could be.
Like many independent movies, we need additional funds to finish this amazing project:
Editing: Here's where we put our amazing visuals together to tell this story in the most compelling way.
Visual Effects: We'll develop, test, and implement digital enhancements to the trippy visuals captured during production.
Color Correction: This process makes sure it not only looks amazing but that it's consistent and polished from the first frame to the last.
Sound Design: In addition to a rich sound design overall, we need to create an aural world that enhances the hallucinatory experience.
Festivals: Finding showcases and accolades for the finished film is important to help build the audience-base for ACID TEST.
Distribution: In order to bring ACID TEST to our audience, we need to prepare the various final deliverables that platforms require in order to make the film available.
Here's what you can do to help!
1. Follow our project – 500 followers guarantees distribution through Seed&Sparks partners!
2. Share our campaign on social media and encourage people to support!
3. Contribute if you can. We have a variety of incentives, goodies you get when you contribute to the project. From as low as $5 and every level up!
With additional funds, hard work and a steady pace, the film should be finished by the end of the summer! Then it's on to the world of festival screenings and distribution options like iTunes and Fandor.
Be a part of our team and take a trip!
Thank you for your support.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editing
Costs $1,000
Editing is where the story comes together. Credit will read "Editing funded in part by [YOUR NAME]"and placed with crew credits.
Visual FX
Costs $1,000
Acid trips come with amazing FX! "VFX funded in part by [YOUR NAME]" placed in crew credits. $40+ gets name/photo acid-treated in credits!
Color Correction
Costs $1,000
Trippy colors, neutral normal world, everything in balance. "Color Correction funded in part by [YOUR NAME]" placed in crew credits.
Sound Design
Costs $2,000
Acid trips whack out sound. "Sound Design funded in part by [YOUR NAME]" placed in crew credits. $100+ gets your name whispered in trip!
Festival Submissions and Travel
Costs $2,000
Bring ACID TEST to the festival circuit! Special credit included. $50+ gets early access link to film as it makes the rounds!
Mastering and Distribution Costs
Costs $3,000
Deliverables can be costly and varied for each platform. "Mastering funded in part by [YOUR NAME]" placed with crew credits.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Share this update!
About This Team
Jennifer Waldo, Writer/Director
A native of Washington, DC, Jenny Waldo graduated from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts with a MFA in Film Production where she won a coveted directing scholarship and focused on writing, directing, and producing fictional and documentary films. Most recently, Jenny's short film SISTERS was selected for the 2016 Women in Film and Television International (WIFTI) Short-case and a short film she produed, MEGGAN'S JOURNEY was selected for the 2016 Houston Latino Film Festival. Previous credits include producing the short NEXT EXIT which was selected for the 2015 Cannes Short Film Corner, associate producing the independent feature THE PREACHER’S DAUGHTER which sold to Lifetime, and associate producing the feature documentary THE CUTTING EDGE: THE MAGIC OF MOVIE EDITING. She teaches fictional and documentary film at HCC’s Audio and Filmmaking Program and screenwriting at Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA). Blogging about books, movies, writing, and photography, you can see more of her work on her website http://www.jennywaldo.com!
Jason A. Raschen, Producer
Jason A. Raschen is a Houston-based award-winning film producer and a permanent fixture in the Houston independent film scene. He has created an impressive body of work in a very short period of time including Two Star Symphony’s critically acclaimed and awarding winning music video “The Ninth Level,” the web series CLUBMATES, the short film MY BULLY, and Katanah’s very popular music video “Y Aqui Estoy.” Finally, and most importantly, Jason began work on a feature length documentary on his Mother and her experience as the wife of a soldier during the Vietnam Conflict.
Sharad Kant Patel, Director of Photography, Editor, and VFX
As a writer/director/DP, Sharad Kant Patel has previously screened experimental and art oriented short films at SXSW (SNAIL, 2008), and Raindance (THE BUBBLE, 2013). He makes a living creating commercial work such as animations, documentaries, and 30-second television spots for museums, and businesses. Sharad recently completed his own first feature narrative film SOMEBODY’S DARLING which premiered at the 2016 Silver Scream Fest! He has taught film and video art at Eastern Michigan University and The University of Houston. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the RTF program at The University of Texas.
Patrick Sane playing the role of "Jack"
Patrick Sane is an Actor and Producer who got his start in film in the Texas region while residing in Houston. He has appeared in a number of local Texas productions honing his character work and building a repertoire of unique performances. He is most well known for his recurring role in the final season of BREAKING BAD as Frankie and his role as Gorgo in SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR opposite Mickey Rourke and Jessica Alba. He is the honored recipient of a Screen Actors Guild award for an ensemble Actor in the final season of BREAKING BAD. He is currently following the dream in Los Angeles.
Juliana DeStefano playing the role of "Jenny"
Juliana Destefano is best known for HELEN ALONE (2014), CHIAROSCURO (2009) and SECRET DIARY OF AN AMERICAN CHEERLEADER (2012). Originally from Houston, she says "When I was little, I watched a ton of Jim Carrey movies. He inspired me to start acting and made me fall in love with acting and comedy. When I was 10, I started doing plays and commercials. At 19, I finally moved to Los Angeles to continue acting and started doing stand up comedy!"
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
ACID TEST is based on writer/director Jenny Waldo's own experience at 15. An absurd story set during a painful personal time, the heart of ACID TEST lies in the imtimate moments found amidst the chaos of hallucination. A parent's unconditional love. A question of why we love the people we do. A teenager figuring out who she is and who she wants to be. The story walks a fine balance between the absurdity of things that happen in life along with the pain of growing up in an entertaining, emotional, and authentic ride.
We shot overnight for 6 days during production. 375 takes. With a maximum of 10 usable hours per day to work with, that means we were rolling about every 10 minutes. Factoring in setups/adjustments for lighting, camera, wardrobe, makeup, production design, and more, our production ran at a hell of a pace and accomplished a ton! Even better, we still like each other and would do it all over again!
Everything looks amazing. Patrick Sane from BREAKING BAD brought his phenomenal range to the father role while Juliana DeStefano brought an abundance of dedication and emotional depth to the role of Jenny. Creating the character-Jenny's bedroom in all its 90's glory, Production Designer Jessica Flores used writer/director-Jenny's old concert flyers, artwork, movie stubs, clippings, and other keepsakes. Even the journal the character writes in and the dress she wears were original from that time period. To capture the sound of that era, we licensed 4 songs from the debut album of Houston band Giant Kitty who then performed the songs at the Dan Electro's Guitar Bar for the concert scenes. Giant Kitty captures the spirit of the Riot Grrrl bands of the 90's like Bikini Kill. They even pressed cassette tapes of their debut album!
Every single cast and crew member elevated the project far beyond what began as Jenny's personal story. It became everyone's story. Everyone contributed ideas and brought their A-game, investing a piece of themselves into making ACID TEST the best it could be.
Like many independent movies, we need additional funds to finish this amazing project:
Editing: Here's where we put our amazing visuals together to tell this story in the most compelling way.
Visual Effects: We'll develop, test, and implement digital enhancements to the trippy visuals captured during production.
Color Correction: This process makes sure it not only looks amazing but that it's consistent and polished from the first frame to the last.
Sound Design: In addition to a rich sound design overall, we need to create an aural world that enhances the hallucinatory experience.
Festivals: Finding showcases and accolades for the finished film is important to help build the audience-base for ACID TEST.
Distribution: In order to bring ACID TEST to our audience, we need to prepare the various final deliverables that platforms require in order to make the film available.
Here's what you can do to help!
1. Follow our project – 500 followers guarantees distribution through Seed&Sparks partners!
2. Share our campaign on social media and encourage people to support!
3. Contribute if you can. We have a variety of incentives, goodies you get when you contribute to the project. From as low as $5 and every level up!
With additional funds, hard work and a steady pace, the film should be finished by the end of the summer! Then it's on to the world of festival screenings and distribution options like iTunes and Fandor.
Be a part of our team and take a trip!
Thank you for your support.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Editing
Costs $1,000
Editing is where the story comes together. Credit will read "Editing funded in part by [YOUR NAME]"and placed with crew credits.
Visual FX
Costs $1,000
Acid trips come with amazing FX! "VFX funded in part by [YOUR NAME]" placed in crew credits. $40+ gets name/photo acid-treated in credits!
Color Correction
Costs $1,000
Trippy colors, neutral normal world, everything in balance. "Color Correction funded in part by [YOUR NAME]" placed in crew credits.
Sound Design
Costs $2,000
Acid trips whack out sound. "Sound Design funded in part by [YOUR NAME]" placed in crew credits. $100+ gets your name whispered in trip!
Festival Submissions and Travel
Costs $2,000
Bring ACID TEST to the festival circuit! Special credit included. $50+ gets early access link to film as it makes the rounds!
Mastering and Distribution Costs
Costs $3,000
Deliverables can be costly and varied for each platform. "Mastering funded in part by [YOUR NAME]" placed with crew credits.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Share this update!
About This Team
Jennifer Waldo, Writer/Director
A native of Washington, DC, Jenny Waldo graduated from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts with a MFA in Film Production where she won a coveted directing scholarship and focused on writing, directing, and producing fictional and documentary films. Most recently, Jenny's short film SISTERS was selected for the 2016 Women in Film and Television International (WIFTI) Short-case and a short film she produed, MEGGAN'S JOURNEY was selected for the 2016 Houston Latino Film Festival. Previous credits include producing the short NEXT EXIT which was selected for the 2015 Cannes Short Film Corner, associate producing the independent feature THE PREACHER’S DAUGHTER which sold to Lifetime, and associate producing the feature documentary THE CUTTING EDGE: THE MAGIC OF MOVIE EDITING. She teaches fictional and documentary film at HCC’s Audio and Filmmaking Program and screenwriting at Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA). Blogging about books, movies, writing, and photography, you can see more of her work on her website http://www.jennywaldo.com!
Jason A. Raschen, Producer
Jason A. Raschen is a Houston-based award-winning film producer and a permanent fixture in the Houston independent film scene. He has created an impressive body of work in a very short period of time including Two Star Symphony’s critically acclaimed and awarding winning music video “The Ninth Level,” the web series CLUBMATES, the short film MY BULLY, and Katanah’s very popular music video “Y Aqui Estoy.” Finally, and most importantly, Jason began work on a feature length documentary on his Mother and her experience as the wife of a soldier during the Vietnam Conflict.
Sharad Kant Patel, Director of Photography, Editor, and VFX
As a writer/director/DP, Sharad Kant Patel has previously screened experimental and art oriented short films at SXSW (SNAIL, 2008), and Raindance (THE BUBBLE, 2013). He makes a living creating commercial work such as animations, documentaries, and 30-second television spots for museums, and businesses. Sharad recently completed his own first feature narrative film SOMEBODY’S DARLING which premiered at the 2016 Silver Scream Fest! He has taught film and video art at Eastern Michigan University and The University of Houston. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the RTF program at The University of Texas.
Patrick Sane playing the role of "Jack"
Patrick Sane is an Actor and Producer who got his start in film in the Texas region while residing in Houston. He has appeared in a number of local Texas productions honing his character work and building a repertoire of unique performances. He is most well known for his recurring role in the final season of BREAKING BAD as Frankie and his role as Gorgo in SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR opposite Mickey Rourke and Jessica Alba. He is the honored recipient of a Screen Actors Guild award for an ensemble Actor in the final season of BREAKING BAD. He is currently following the dream in Los Angeles.
Juliana DeStefano playing the role of "Jenny"
Juliana Destefano is best known for HELEN ALONE (2014), CHIAROSCURO (2009) and SECRET DIARY OF AN AMERICAN CHEERLEADER (2012). Originally from Houston, she says "When I was little, I watched a ton of Jim Carrey movies. He inspired me to start acting and made me fall in love with acting and comedy. When I was 10, I started doing plays and commercials. At 19, I finally moved to Los Angeles to continue acting and started doing stand up comedy!"