A Good Lie
Boston, Massachusetts | Film Short
Drama, Thriller
A Good Lie is about a father who confused loving his son with needing him, and a son who said yes because he'd spent his whole life hoping his father would show up. This is the story of what happens when he finally does, and what it costs.
A Good Lie
Boston, Massachusetts | Film Short
Drama, Thriller
1 Campaigns | Massachusetts, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $4,012 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
34 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
A Good Lie is about a father who confused loving his son with needing him, and a son who said yes because he'd spent his whole life hoping his father would show up. This is the story of what happens when he finally does, and what it costs.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
A father and son.
A mayoral campaign.
A lie that started with real love and ended somewhere neither of them planned.
Arthur Halford has spent his career making people feel something. His son Derek agreed to be used because he wasn't sure love and usefulness could be separated. This film lives in that gap.
It's a political story, the way all political stories really are, a family story with higher stakes.
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Bob Gallagher as "Arthur Halford"
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Victor Polizu as "Derek Halford"
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
WHY NOW?
Over 1,500 people applied for fewer than 20 roles. That's not just a casting stat. It's a signal. From series regulars to seasoned stage actors, the caliber of talent coming forward has been a testament to the script's gravity. This story is already finding the people it was meant for. The moment to tell it is now, while that urgency is still alive.
(Succession - 2018-2023)
A Good Lie sits inside the space between the headline and the truth.
(Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - 2007)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
WHY US?
Director here! When Yifan and I set out to make our first independent production, our goal was simple: create something free of academic constraint. We wrote the script, pored over every shot, and launched our first fundraising campaign from scratch. Along the way, we built genuine relationships with our actors, Victor Polizu and Katie Lewis (also starring in A Good Lie), and left determined to work with them again.
That short film wound its way through the New England festival circuit, and suddenly, the next step felt not just possible, but necessary. That next step is A Good Lie.
Our team pairs professional post-production, Blue Heron Productions, and Outburst Media Group with the lean resourcefulness of filmmakers who know how to make every dollar count on screen. We're sourcing cinema gear through our university's rental house, securing on-campus locations, and assembling a crew who believes in this story.
Colin Hodgson of Blue Heron Productions
Thomas Cyr of Outburst Media Group
___________________________________________________________________________________________
WHY YOU?
Because the films that cut through are the ones that got made because real people decided they should exist. Someone chose to show up. Someone chose to give. This is us asking you to be that someone. This one needs you in its corner.
(Bulworth - 1998)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
CONTEXT & CALL TO ACTION
How your support moves this forward
Our goal is $6,775, the full budget for principal photography and professional post-production. Seed & Spark releases our funds once we hit 80% ($5,420), so every pledge matters from day one. Our campaign runs for 30 days, and early momentum is what gets us there. Filming begins in June 2026, with post-production running through November. Backers receive their digital rewards in January/February 2027, ahead of our festival run.
If we go beyond our goal, here's what we can do:
🎬 $10,000 - Elevated Post-Production
We have the story, the performances, and the score, but the atmosphere is built in the details. At this level, we bring in dedicated Foley artists and sound designers to layer in the textural, tactile sounds that make a world feel real. We'll also have room for light VFX work to polish any shots that need it and push the film's visual language that little bit further!
🏆 $12,000 - Expanded Festival Run
A short film lives and dies by the stages it plays on. Festival submission fees, prints & advertising, and travel costs add up fast, and the difference between a regional run and a shot at Sundance, Tribeca, or SXSW often comes down to resources. These funds give us the runway to submit widely, follow the film wherever it's accepted, and get it in front of the audiences and industry that can carry it forward.
🎟️ $15,000 - A Theatrical Premiere Event
We want to bring this film off the screen and into a room with you. At this level, we'll host a proper theatrical screening, a real premiere, with the cast, crew, and the community that made it possible all together in one place. Backers at qualifying tiers will receive an invitation. This is our way of closing the loop and celebrating what we built together.
Every dollar past $8,025 makes the film more ambitious, more polished, and more alive in the world. Thank you for being part of it.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Where the film is headed
Our goal is a major Spring 2027 festival premiere, alongside a curated selection of festivals chosen to give the film the widest possible life. And beyond the circuit, we're committed to a local screening for every backer, cast member, and crew member. You'll see what you funded on a real screen.
(God's Time - 2022)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
FILM FESTIVAL SUBMISSIONS
Costs $250
Submission fees for regional and national festivals, to find A Good Lie's audience after the campaign closes.
Arthur Halford - Bob Gallagher
Costs $1,000
Bob anchors A Good Lie as Arthur Halford, bringing years of professional acting experience to the lead role.
Derek Halford - Victor Polizu
Costs $1,000
Victor stars as Derek Halford, following his lead role in Rowan Hodgson’s "In Other Words." A powerhouse duo reunited for A Good Lie.
Supporting Cast
Costs $50
Our remaining cast is contributing their performances as in-kind loans. Travel, lunch, and craft services are provided on their shoot days.
Adam Ives - Recording Engineer
Costs $50
Adam is recording and engineering our original score and sound design elements in post.
POST-PRODUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE
Costs $100
Covers editing software, storage drives, and cloud backup for all raw footage and project files.
FOOD & CRAFT SERVICES
Costs $700
We are feeding our cast and crew on all shoot days. Good food keeps morale high and the set running smoothly.
Lens package
Costs $100
Lens budget to give Yifan the glass he needs to achieve the visual language of the film. Most camera equipment is owned or loaned.
Jonathan Barnett - Digital Media Specialist & Production Support
Costs $275
Jonathan oversees behind-the-scenes media capture and production assistance, ensuring we have high-end assets for marketing.
Production Sound Mixer
Costs $400
Clean production audio is key to a dialogue-driven political drama. Our sound mixer covers all the main shoot days.
Lead Gaffer
Costs $400
Our Lead Gaffer heads the lighting department on our most visually ambitious shoot days.
Key Makeup Artist (Kit Fee)
Costs $50
Funds cover kit fees and SFX materials for our MUA to ensure prosthetic injury continuity across every scene.
LOCATIONS
Costs $400
Most locations secured at no cost. A small number of practical settings across Greater Boston require nominal fees to access.
CONTINGENCY
Costs $225
A safety net that keeps production moving if costs shift on shoot days.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director: Rowan Hodgson
Rowan has been making films since he was old enough to pick up a camera. That early curiosity evolved into a multidisciplinary career, from drone operating on Emmy-winning productions to composing original scores and working the front lines as a PA.
His debut short, In Other Words, earned regional festival selections and gained the support of director Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman, Monster), who backed the campaign.
Now he's reuniting with DP Yifan Zhang and actors Victor Polizu and Katie Lewis to produce A Good Lie. This short is the proof-of-concept for an already-completed feature screenplay.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Producers: Jordan Hill & Thomas Cyr
Jordan hails from Hudson, New Hampshire, a seasoned acting professional and crew member. He brings multiple credits ranging from acting and stunts to directing and production, and joins A Good Lie with a hunger like no other. A firm believer in the project, he looks forward to helping on and offscreen.
Jordan wants to take the time to thank his girlfriend, Christina, for always supporting and encouraging him through every project, and hopes to be someone to look up to for his children, Jaxson, Carter, and Raiden.
Like Kevin Garnett said, “Anything is possible!”
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thomas first found his footing in the music industry around 2021, focusing on the artistic side of the craft. After building a name for himself within an indie music collective, he began expanding his reach into film. When he joined the team for A Good Lie, he brought more than a Master's degree in Marketing; he brought a sharp creative instinct and a genuine passion for storytelling.
Thomas makes music under the name CYR! and has collaborated frequently with Rowan on music projects. You can find his music, personally curated playlists, and blog posts of artists he's discovered at musicbycyr.com.
On A Good Lie, Thomas plays a dual role, helping shape the narrative while thinking strategically about how the film will eventually reach its audience.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Director of Photography (DP): Yifan Zhang
Yifan's journey into cinematography began at Boston University, where he quickly demonstrated an ambition that extended far beyond the classroom. This drive led to the creation of In Other Words, a project that went on to screen at various festivals across the New England film circuit and earned Yifan the Best Cinematography award at the Commonwealth Film Festival.
A deeply thoughtful and intuitive collaborator, Yifan possesses a sharp eye for composition and lighting. But what truly defines his work is his understanding of visual emotionality; he prioritizes how a scene feels over simply making it look good.
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.jpeg)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
A father and son.
A mayoral campaign.
A lie that started with real love and ended somewhere neither of them planned.
Arthur Halford has spent his career making people feel something. His son Derek agreed to be used because he wasn't sure love and usefulness could be separated. This film lives in that gap.
It's a political story, the way all political stories really are, a family story with higher stakes.
Bob Gallagher as "Arthur Halford"
Victor Polizu as "Derek Halford"
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
WHY NOW?
Over 1,500 people applied for fewer than 20 roles. That's not just a casting stat. It's a signal. From series regulars to seasoned stage actors, the caliber of talent coming forward has been a testament to the script's gravity. This story is already finding the people it was meant for. The moment to tell it is now, while that urgency is still alive.
(Succession - 2018-2023)
A Good Lie sits inside the space between the headline and the truth.
(Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - 2007)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
WHY US?
Director here! When Yifan and I set out to make our first independent production, our goal was simple: create something free of academic constraint. We wrote the script, pored over every shot, and launched our first fundraising campaign from scratch. Along the way, we built genuine relationships with our actors, Victor Polizu and Katie Lewis (also starring in A Good Lie), and left determined to work with them again.
That short film wound its way through the New England festival circuit, and suddenly, the next step felt not just possible, but necessary. That next step is A Good Lie.
Our team pairs professional post-production, Blue Heron Productions, and Outburst Media Group with the lean resourcefulness of filmmakers who know how to make every dollar count on screen. We're sourcing cinema gear through our university's rental house, securing on-campus locations, and assembling a crew who believes in this story.
Colin Hodgson of Blue Heron Productions
Thomas Cyr of Outburst Media Group
___________________________________________________________________________________________
WHY YOU?
Because the films that cut through are the ones that got made because real people decided they should exist. Someone chose to show up. Someone chose to give. This is us asking you to be that someone. This one needs you in its corner.
(Bulworth - 1998)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
CONTEXT & CALL TO ACTION
How your support moves this forward
Our goal is $6,775, the full budget for principal photography and professional post-production. Seed & Spark releases our funds once we hit 80% ($5,420), so every pledge matters from day one. Our campaign runs for 30 days, and early momentum is what gets us there. Filming begins in June 2026, with post-production running through November. Backers receive their digital rewards in January/February 2027, ahead of our festival run.
If we go beyond our goal, here's what we can do:
🎬 $10,000 - Elevated Post-Production
We have the story, the performances, and the score, but the atmosphere is built in the details. At this level, we bring in dedicated Foley artists and sound designers to layer in the textural, tactile sounds that make a world feel real. We'll also have room for light VFX work to polish any shots that need it and push the film's visual language that little bit further!
🏆 $12,000 - Expanded Festival Run
A short film lives and dies by the stages it plays on. Festival submission fees, prints & advertising, and travel costs add up fast, and the difference between a regional run and a shot at Sundance, Tribeca, or SXSW often comes down to resources. These funds give us the runway to submit widely, follow the film wherever it's accepted, and get it in front of the audiences and industry that can carry it forward.
🎟️ $15,000 - A Theatrical Premiere Event
We want to bring this film off the screen and into a room with you. At this level, we'll host a proper theatrical screening, a real premiere, with the cast, crew, and the community that made it possible all together in one place. Backers at qualifying tiers will receive an invitation. This is our way of closing the loop and celebrating what we built together.
Every dollar past $8,025 makes the film more ambitious, more polished, and more alive in the world. Thank you for being part of it.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Where the film is headed
Our goal is a major Spring 2027 festival premiere, alongside a curated selection of festivals chosen to give the film the widest possible life. And beyond the circuit, we're committed to a local screening for every backer, cast member, and crew member. You'll see what you funded on a real screen.
(God's Time - 2022)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
FILM FESTIVAL SUBMISSIONS
Costs $250
Submission fees for regional and national festivals, to find A Good Lie's audience after the campaign closes.
Arthur Halford - Bob Gallagher
Costs $1,000
Bob anchors A Good Lie as Arthur Halford, bringing years of professional acting experience to the lead role.
Derek Halford - Victor Polizu
Costs $1,000
Victor stars as Derek Halford, following his lead role in Rowan Hodgson’s "In Other Words." A powerhouse duo reunited for A Good Lie.
Supporting Cast
Costs $50
Our remaining cast is contributing their performances as in-kind loans. Travel, lunch, and craft services are provided on their shoot days.
Adam Ives - Recording Engineer
Costs $50
Adam is recording and engineering our original score and sound design elements in post.
POST-PRODUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE
Costs $100
Covers editing software, storage drives, and cloud backup for all raw footage and project files.
FOOD & CRAFT SERVICES
Costs $700
We are feeding our cast and crew on all shoot days. Good food keeps morale high and the set running smoothly.
Lens package
Costs $100
Lens budget to give Yifan the glass he needs to achieve the visual language of the film. Most camera equipment is owned or loaned.
Jonathan Barnett - Digital Media Specialist & Production Support
Costs $275
Jonathan oversees behind-the-scenes media capture and production assistance, ensuring we have high-end assets for marketing.
Production Sound Mixer
Costs $400
Clean production audio is key to a dialogue-driven political drama. Our sound mixer covers all the main shoot days.
Lead Gaffer
Costs $400
Our Lead Gaffer heads the lighting department on our most visually ambitious shoot days.
Key Makeup Artist (Kit Fee)
Costs $50
Funds cover kit fees and SFX materials for our MUA to ensure prosthetic injury continuity across every scene.
LOCATIONS
Costs $400
Most locations secured at no cost. A small number of practical settings across Greater Boston require nominal fees to access.
CONTINGENCY
Costs $225
A safety net that keeps production moving if costs shift on shoot days.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Writer/Director: Rowan Hodgson
Rowan has been making films since he was old enough to pick up a camera. That early curiosity evolved into a multidisciplinary career, from drone operating on Emmy-winning productions to composing original scores and working the front lines as a PA.
His debut short, In Other Words, earned regional festival selections and gained the support of director Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman, Monster), who backed the campaign.
Now he's reuniting with DP Yifan Zhang and actors Victor Polizu and Katie Lewis to produce A Good Lie. This short is the proof-of-concept for an already-completed feature screenplay.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Producers: Jordan Hill & Thomas Cyr
Jordan hails from Hudson, New Hampshire, a seasoned acting professional and crew member. He brings multiple credits ranging from acting and stunts to directing and production, and joins A Good Lie with a hunger like no other. A firm believer in the project, he looks forward to helping on and offscreen.
Jordan wants to take the time to thank his girlfriend, Christina, for always supporting and encouraging him through every project, and hopes to be someone to look up to for his children, Jaxson, Carter, and Raiden.
Like Kevin Garnett said, “Anything is possible!”
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thomas first found his footing in the music industry around 2021, focusing on the artistic side of the craft. After building a name for himself within an indie music collective, he began expanding his reach into film. When he joined the team for A Good Lie, he brought more than a Master's degree in Marketing; he brought a sharp creative instinct and a genuine passion for storytelling.
Thomas makes music under the name CYR! and has collaborated frequently with Rowan on music projects. You can find his music, personally curated playlists, and blog posts of artists he's discovered at musicbycyr.com.
On A Good Lie, Thomas plays a dual role, helping shape the narrative while thinking strategically about how the film will eventually reach its audience.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Director of Photography (DP): Yifan Zhang
Yifan's journey into cinematography began at Boston University, where he quickly demonstrated an ambition that extended far beyond the classroom. This drive led to the creation of In Other Words, a project that went on to screen at various festivals across the New England film circuit and earned Yifan the Best Cinematography award at the Commonwealth Film Festival.
A deeply thoughtful and intuitive collaborator, Yifan possesses a sharp eye for composition and lighting. But what truly defines his work is his understanding of visual emotionality; he prioritizes how a scene feels over simply making it look good.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________