After the Deluge is a short fiction film about two strangers who meet in a New York City Park a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Sharka, a scrappy expressionistic painter, finds respite from the isolation of her small apartment on a park bench, where she stations herself to paint. When Bridget, a self-possessed lone traveler dragging a suitcase, encroaches and sits down next to her, angry sparks fly until the two find unexpected common ground.   

The brilliant playwright, John Patrick Shanley (Moonstruck, Doubt), wrote this moving story during the isolation of his apartment amidst the pandemic. The story explores the themes of loss, longing, and the human need for connection during times of profound isolation. We are raising funds to create a beautiful film that does justice to Shanley's script and elevates the narrative.

After the Deluge is set in New York City but speaks to the experience of so many of us: the whole world went through a traumatic event together. Yet, even now, we are still trying to recover from the isolation and disconnection brought about by the pandemic. This moving story serves as a beautiful reminder of how we can begin again, and how we can recreate belonging through empathy, new hope, and human connection. And yes, it's also incredibly funny!

LOOK & FEEL

This twelve-page screenplay will be shot with the intimacy of verité filmmaking, the intensity of a melodrama, and the power of a love story, with a touch of John Patrick Shanley’s signature whimsy. 

The warm, shallow-focus aesthetic of Josephine Decker’s films Madeline’s Madeline and Butter on the Latch serves as inspiration for the visual palette of After the Deluge. Handheld movement will add a naturalism to the grit of the urban environs. Filming our protagonists up close will help bring us into their interior lives and make us feel the rising tension—and then connection—between these two strangers. Wim Wenders subtle attention to detail in Alice in Cities is another source of creative inspiration. The open sky, the wind through the leaves, an artist's mark on a page, and city dwellers awkwardly finding their way in the world again – will all add to the tone of this unique cityscape.

After the Deluge’s offbeat NYC story will be matched by a soundtrack of adventurous experimental jazz by Jaimie Branch and Kahil El'Zabar. Branch’s spirited cue “simple silver surfer” from Fly or Die II will start off our quirky, irreverent story. Later in the film Kahil El'Zabar, Corey Wilkes & Alex Harding's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble will guide our two protagonists, as they slowly open their hearts to one another.

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

The two female characters in After the Deluge spoke to me upon my first reading of the script. I was taken by the depth of their emotions, their quick wit, and their unabashed vulnerability. Their brief encounter in a pandemic-altered New York City resonated deeply, and I was struck by the ways in which John Patrick Shanley’s narrative captures a time—wracked by phases of isolation, disconnection, and confusion—that mirrored my own experience of it.

Female-driven stories that reveal messy, imperfect characters who are vulnerable and yet strong are at the center of my cinematic work and vision. I saw these qualities in Sharka and Bridget immediately. Despite their edge, there is a softness. Although they are each quirky and unique, they are also relatable. Like the rest of us, they too are wearily trying to find their way forward in uncertain times. I continue to admire the ways in which Bridget and Sharka each take personal risks to connect with each other, even when there are no guarantees.

Over the course of the pandemic, and still, the natural world is a respite from our personal bubbles—our cramped apartments, our social media feeds, and our diminishing worlds. Even a park in New York City reminds us of the cycles of life and opportunities for growth. With After the Deluge, I want to give folks a glimmer of hope, a reminder that perhaps ‘this is where we begin again.’

OUR CHARACTERS

PRODUCTION TIMELINE & LOGISTICS

We will be filming over the course of TWO DAYS in BROOKLYN, NEW YORK in July 2023.  We'll be filming with a small, well-versed cast and crew in both EXTERIOR and INTERIOR locations.  Your contributions will help us cover the labor & equipment needed to film with a quality camera package and team.  

As soon as we wrap up production, we'll move into postproduction in order to meet our goal of a 2024 premiere.

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Here's a breakdown of how funds will be distributed for all stages of production.

Our Seed & Spark campaign is part of a multi-faceted financing plan. Surpassing our goal on this campaign would allow us to increase the production value of the film on-screen and the experience on-set, by contributing extra funds towards:

Upgrading our camera package

Comfortably accommodating our cast & crew on location 

Quality sound for our exterior filming plan!

HOW DOES COVID-19 AFFECT OUR TIMELINE?

Covid-19 has been an added hurdle for independent filmmaking in terms of budgets and timeline in the past. While many regions in the U.S. have removed limitations, we are confident in the following precautionary plans to ensure a smooth production: 

We will require Proof of Vaccination for all of our cast and crew. 

We will follow all COVID-19 regulations for filming in New York and SAG-AFTRA compliance protocols.

THANK YOU!

Thank you for taking the time to read about our project and mission! We are so thankful for contributions of any scale to AFTER THE DELUGE. If you are interested, here are other ways to support and get involved! 

+ EQUIPMENT RENTALS/DONATIONS - Camera and gear rentals make up a significant portion of our budget. If you have any gear that is available for us to use in Brooklyn, NY, we'd be beyond grateful!

+ FOLLOW US on Social Media! Check out @afterthedeluge_film on Instagram for updates.

+ SHARE OUR CAMPAIGN! Like what you see? Please share our campaign with your network of friends, family, and fellow filmmakers! The more awareness around our project, the more likely we can bring this project to life.