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Inspired by the case of the West Memphis Three from the early 90s and works from that period such as Twin Peaks and The X-Files, this film tells the timely story of a community fraught with dogmatic echo chambers that forces misunderstood teenagers to grapple with the labels placed upon them.
Inspired by the case of the West Memphis Three from the early 90s and works from that period such as Twin Peaks and The X-Files, this film tells the timely story of a community fraught with dogmatic echo chambers that forces misunderstood teenagers to grapple with the labels placed upon them.
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Story
Mission Statement
As my MFA in Film thesis, it’s important that this is not just a personal and relatable story of finding yourself despite society's labels, but is also timely and relevant by demonstrating how a world fraught with disunity and a lack of collective consciousness isolates us from each other.About The Project
In 1993, metalhead teens are caught up in the satanic panic and blamed for the atrocities of a mysterious woodland creature.
THE STORY
Ostensibly, the story is about an investigation into a mythical woodland creature that haunts the woods of a small middle-American town. But deep down, the true premise of the story is about self-actualization in the face of alienation.
Travis, the protagonist, is a misunderstood loner and juvenile delinquent that is ultimately sought as the primary suspect for the crimes committed by the creature. As he becomes more and more isolated and finds himself on the run, will Travis become what society has labeled him as? Or will he be able to absolve himself and maintain his individuality?
On the societal level, Travis has fallen victim to the always relevant human nature of fearing those that are different. In his fictional hometown, a community steeped in the Satanic panic of the early 1990s, everyone is inherently blind to the true evil that lies in their midst. Save for a few friends and a newcomer detective, the town readily jumps to conclusions to blame a teenager that they’ve labeled as their Blacksheep.
WHAT MAKES THIS PROJECT SPECIAL
-A coming of age narrative in the packaging of a mystery-thriller film.
-The tone captures the spirit of the early 90s. There is a serious amount of fear towards the occult, drug use, and youth culture, yet underlining humor and absurdity that shines through from the period, small-town characters.
-There has never been a better time to capitalize on 90s nostalgia. The early 90s was a peak of the satanic panic in the United States, which has now unfortunately regained relevance through movements like QAnon.
-Hiding the monster away from sight and leaning into various theories and speculation, similar to how these myths are perceived in reality.MAIN CHARACTERS
TRAVIS BALDWIN
The poster boy for the D.A.R.E. movement, Travis is the definition of early 90s rebelliousness - a defiant juvenile delinquent and metalhead that has been labeled a Satanist and thus is an easy suspect for any mishaps in his rural community. Travis wants nothing more than to escape in his mother's 1991 Chevrolet S10 Blazer, fleeing from anything that represents service to authority.
JORDAN CONRAD
One of the few black students in school, Jordan and Travis each connected as outcasts in their own right. They love to listen to metal, play video games, and smoke weed together, but Jordan is anxious and not nearly as daring as Travis, although he tends to follow along with his shenanigans.
STACEY WAGNER
The new girl in town, Stacey is a skeptical thrill seeker that is looking to escape her abusive home life. She immediately sparks Travis’ interest when they’re paired up in photography class and has enough sass, counterculture energy, and heavy metal knowledge to put him to shame.
DETECTIVE JILLIAN CARTER
The recently promoted and skilled detective becomes a thorn in the side of her male colleagues and superiors who are determined to lay the blame on Travis. Jillian is dedicated to the truth, no matter how strange it may be.
THE CREATURE
Pulling from the myths of various forest creatures and bipedal cryptids, “The Beast” remains shrouded in mystery for most of the film. Anyone who comes into contact with it doesn’t usually live to speak about it.
People in the community are mostly in denial of its existence.MORE POINTS OF INSPIRATION
-My older brothers came of age during the early 90s and I was born in 1990, giving me a direct connection to the time period and the zeitgeist of that moment in time.
-Television: HBO's Paradise Lost, Unsolved Mysteries, The X-Files, Twin Peaks, Stranger Things
-Films: Blue Velvet, Kids, Fargo, Jaws, A Nightmare on Elm Street
-Music: Metallica, Pantera, Megadeath, Soundgarden, Faith No MorePROJECT STATUS
We are currently in the process of casting this project and pre-production is in full swing. This campaign will ensure that this project is able to have enough funding to complete principal photography. Once the film is completed, we will begin submitting it to festivals and seeking distribution. Contributors to this campaign will be among the first to see the completed film.
^P.S. I purchased this 1991 Chevrolet S10 Blazer to use in the film
SPREAD THE WORD
The only way we will reach our crowdfunding goal is if we reach beyond our networks. If you can't pledge funds, please share! If you can do both, great! Check out our wishlist as well to see if you can contribute services or goods that will allow us to free up more of our budget for things like paying our cast/crew!
Please share our campaign via your social media, email, word-of-mouth, however you want! We can't do this without you!
Here is an example. Feel free to copy and paste!
Help filmmaker @forrester_films by supporting their 90s set mystery/thriller film CARRY THE DARKNESS about metalhead teenagers from that era reckoning with the satanic panic. Join them on @seedandspark: https://bit.ly/3hIBkuzp
Incentives
$5
Jackalope
-Tagged in an Instagram story post
-Contributor credit in the film
$10
Squonk
-Social media shout out from the Writer-Director
-Contributor credit in the film
-Exclusive updates including sneak peek footage and production stills
$25
Chupacabra
-All Squonk level perks
-Personalized and shareable digital thank you
-Receive a private link to see the film when it is completed
$50
Jersey Devil
-All Chupacabra level perks
-Digital download of the completed film
-Playlist of music that has inspired the film
$100
Werewolf
-All Jersey Devil level perks
-Special Thanks credit in the film
-Receive an invite to test screen a rough cut of the film
$250
Skinwalker
-All Werewolf level perks
-Physical copy of the completed film
-Invite to a premiere screening of the film
-Special Thanks credit in the film
$500
Shadow Man
-All Skinwalker level perks
-Zoom livestream during the filming of a scene in the film
-Entered to win exclusive merch or a prop from the film
$666
Lucifer
-All Shadow Man level perks
-A personalized video message via Ouija board from a cast/crewmember
-Receive said Ouija board, signed by cast/crewmembers
$1,000
Bigfoot
-All Shadow Man level perks
-Zoom conversation with cast/crewmember of your choice
-Invite to wrap party
-Associate Producer credit in the film
$2,500
Wendigo
-All Bigfoot level perks
-Provide feedback throughout the editorial process
-Executive Producer credit in the film
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$5
Jackalope
-Tagged in an Instagram story post
-Contributor credit in the film
$10
Squonk
-Social media shout out from the Writer-Director
-Contributor credit in the film
-Exclusive updates including sneak peek footage and production stills
$25
Chupacabra
-All Squonk level perks
-Personalized and shareable digital thank you
-Receive a private link to see the film when it is completed
$50
Jersey Devil
-All Chupacabra level perks
-Digital download of the completed film
-Playlist of music that has inspired the film
$100
Werewolf
-All Jersey Devil level perks
-Special Thanks credit in the film
-Receive an invite to test screen a rough cut of the film
$250
Skinwalker
-All Werewolf level perks
-Physical copy of the completed film
-Invite to a premiere screening of the film
-Special Thanks credit in the film
$500
Shadow Man
-All Skinwalker level perks
-Zoom livestream during the filming of a scene in the film
-Entered to win exclusive merch or a prop from the film
$666
Lucifer
-All Shadow Man level perks
-A personalized video message via Ouija board from a cast/crewmember
-Receive said Ouija board, signed by cast/crewmembers
$1,000
Bigfoot
-All Shadow Man level perks
-Zoom conversation with cast/crewmember of your choice
-Invite to wrap party
-Associate Producer credit in the film
$2,500
Wendigo
-All Bigfoot level perks
-Provide feedback throughout the editorial process
-Executive Producer credit in the film
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Douglas Forrester - Writer/Director - A Brooklyn-based filmmaker from Maryland, CARRY THE DARKNESS will serve as his thesis project for an MFA in Filmmaking from Stony Brook Southampton + Killer Films. His second short film BEACH BOY is currently making the rounds at a growing number of independent film festivals in New York, Los Angeles, and Fort Myers Beach. His journey to filmmaking has been winding, but he's found himself endlessly in awe of the power of films to captivate, compel, and enrich audiences as well as the lives of each and every voice that helps bring them to life.
James Sharpe - Producer - Following a stint in the Navy (in Japan), he studied Theatre at Boston University's School for the Arts, and eventually graduated with a double major in Philosophy and Theatre from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Mr. Sharpe's diverse background includes managing multi-million dollar ad budgets and developing commercials for leading global communications technology companies. His short films have played at festivals in Chicago, San Jose, Beverly Hills, and Memphis, and internationally in Wales, Belarus, and India. He also holds an MFA in Producing and Directing from Stony Brook Southampton + Killer Films.
Trevor Roberts - Producer/Actor - An actor, comedian, and filmmaker from Maryland. In 2015 he co-founded a video production group named Falling Squares. He has a degree in Theatre and Marketing from American University.
Callie Jean Lewis - Co-Producer - Callie Jean Lewis is an Asian American actress and producer. She most recently co-stars in “The Question” in which her character explores what it’s like to be bi-racial and date in NYC. You may also see her in commercials online and on TV. She crowdfunded to self-produce “The Question” and is passionate about helping stories and dreams play out on screens of any size. She is represented by Arcos Management.
David Schultz - Director of Photography - A Brooklyn-based Swiss Army knife filmmaker, David has worked for the last several years across multiple departments in the East Coast’s independent film scene. His last two short films, POOR ARTHUR and FISH, are stylistic dark comedies imbued with the logic and atmosphere of nightmares. His screenplays OLD SILVER and LONELY STAR were recognized by multiple festivals and competitions in 2019 and 2020 respectively. He is currently finishing post-production on his debut feature, THE GIRL IN THE STRAW HAT, a micro-budget tragicomic break-up movie about monomania, manipulation, and past-life cults. If he isn’t cooking up bizarre projects, you will most likely either find him staring at a small screen editing commercials for national brands or, preferably, at a larger screen in one of NYC’s many repertory movie theaters.
Shanaz Sanjana - Line Producer - A producer, writer, and filmmaker based in New York. Her storytelling centers around denial, growth, and experiences as a minority/member of the LGBTQ+ community. Shanaz recently produced the short-form series “The Myth of Control," anthology series “Becoming America,” and is starting to write her first scripted feature after finishing her scripted series. Her personal connection with Travis and Stacey, and her ongoing fascination for the beast tormenting their town dragged Shanaz towards CARRY THE DARKNESS. Having grown up an outsider, Shanaz’s peers stereotyped her off her appearance and took advantage where they could. Shanaz is thrilled to work with a team sharing similar experiences to remind everyone they are never alone in their daily struggles and will meet their brighter end above all expectations.
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