Combustion
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
After a chance encounter with an arsonist, an isolated young woman begins to unravel the mystery of his identity. Combustion is a feverish drama that explores the disconnect and isolation of the modern era and how we find our way towards connection.
Combustion
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Drama
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $14,510 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
51 supporters | followers
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After a chance encounter with an arsonist, an isolated young woman begins to unravel the mystery of his identity. Combustion is a feverish drama that explores the disconnect and isolation of the modern era and how we find our way towards connection.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
On the day of an oppressive heatwave with her car in the shop, Lillian heads back home from getting groceries. In the midst of this simmering heat, she stumbles across Tom Richardson. A young man who cradles a milk jug filled with what appears to be gasoline. In a glance they share with one another, Lillian finds a strange connection to him. A connection similar to what it means to feel seen.
"Who is he? Why do I feel tied to him?"
Later that night, two fires break out in Lillian's neighborhood and sees Tom fleeing the scene of one fire. After the realization that he's an arsonist, she begins to mark the location of Tom's fires on a map. Over the course of seventy-three days, she pieces together the mystery of who he is.
Through Lillian's journey of discovering the identity of Tom, she begins to unravel the mystery of herself. A twenty-something that feels as if she's without direction and purpose looking for a way forward. Her journey is one not dissimilar to the feelings lingering around the modern age. The intensity of the digital world we exist in that strands us further away from deeper, human connections. Lillian is in many ways a reflection of the anxieties of the current world.
Combustion is a subjective film -- one where we are tied to the orbit of Lillian. We move through the narrative by her narration recounting this time period and her state of mind. Our experience to this film is directly related to her emotional ebb and flows, and grounding the audience within this is a huge component of this film's language.
A number of our references for this film include Terrence Malick's Badlands and Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here, which explore the psychology of our main characters through very subjective means (first-person narration, flashbacks appearing in the middle of scenes, obfuscated compositions that reflect an internal conflict).
***
HOW YOU HELP
Being an independent filmmaker asks a lot of you. The resources you pull together, the money you save up from paycheck to paycheck and scrounge together. Each amount saved bit by bit to help realize your ambitions with each new endeavor.
Having made eight short films and a web-series over the past ten years, each work has been a foundational lesson in not only honing my craft but also understanding how to achieve maximum results with as little economic footprint as possible. All my previous eight films have fortunately been made with self funding from this extensive planning.
While we've been thankful to pull together some of the funding for this from paychecks and odd jobs, with the ambitions and talent behind Combustion we need your help to see this film through to the finish line.
***
WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR
Combustion has a minimum shooting budget of $10,800. This will cover the bare essentials of production to get the film together and get the wheels turning to begin filming. If we don't hit this, we unfortunately will not be able to make the film and every amount pledged will revert back to you.
However, if we hit our intended goal of $13,500, we will successfully be able to pay the cast and crew entirely with your generous support and we launch towards production and subsequently post-production. Every bit pledged beyond this goal assures we can put the money towards surpassing this film's potential and sustaining a quality shoot for the cast and crew.
Production: $9,050.00
Post Production: $2,690.00
Contingency, Festivals, + Insurance: $1,760.00
Total: $13,500.00
THE ESTIMATED TIMELINE
Crowdfunding: July 2025
Principal Photography: August 2025
Editing: Late August-December 2025
Coloring + Sound Mixing: January-February 2026
Film Festival Run: March 2026-February 2027
Online Release: Spring / Summer 2027
***
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
Outside my apartment late one night in 2024, an arsonist’s fire broke out and became the impetus for something unexpected. With my co-writer and co-roommate Paolo Wolfsdorf, the conversation we had about the event revolved around understanding what would drive someone to start fires. And more importantly, what did these fires mean for them?
Through her own struggles, Lillian is as much a character trying to find this meaning as well as her own. What these fires mean for her and what compels her to find answers in the unknown. She's a product of the modern age where connection feels so distant between others and more difficult to grasp than ever before. She bears her heart in the hope that he’ll listen to her the way she does to him. She yearns to feel understood by someone. Anyone. Maybe all we can ask of ourselves is to hear Lillian. Maybe that can be our way towards something greater. When we give someone the space to be heard.
-Andrew Jacobson
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast and Crew
Costs $4,900
To pay the incredible members of the cast and crew!
Locations
Costs $460
To film at some incredibly cinematic locations!
On-Set Meals
Costs $2,040
To feed the cast and crew over the duration of the filming!
Post-Production
Costs $2,690
To pull together a vibrant 5.1 sound mix, detailed coloring, and breathtaking score!
Contingency, Film Festivals + Insurance
Costs $1,760
The additional elements to assure the film is insured, can be submitted to festivals, and can be covered for any additional costs!
Rentals + Purchases
Costs $1,650
To cover the costs of equipment rented for both camera + lighting, as well as additional production design + costuming needs!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Andrew Jacobson (Co-Writer / Producer / Director) is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker who focuses as a writer and director. Born in Texas and raised in Georgia, Andrew has pursued filmmaking as a lifelong career since he was a child. He graduated from DePaul University in Chicago, IL with a BFA in Directing. His recent award-winning short, Assimilation, gained critical acclaim to sold out festival audiences at historic theatrical venues such as the Music Box Theatre and TCL Chinese Theatre.
Kate Hader (Producer) is a creative producer with a strong background in literary and talent management. She is currently an Associate Producer on the upcoming feature Forbidden Fruits, starring Lili Reinhart, Victoria Pedretti, Lola Tung, Alexandra Shipp, and Emma Chamberlain, set for theatrical release by IFC in 2026. Kate has worked at Linden Entertainment and Echo Lake Entertainment, supporting clients across film, TV, and digital. A Northwestern graduate, she brings sharp creative instincts and hands-on production experience across scripted and unscripted formats.
Paolo Wolfsdorf (Co-Writer) is a writer from Massachusetts who likes character-driven stories, going on walks, and hanging out with friends. He is currently in development on multiple feature film scripts ranging from period adventure to environmental horror.
Taylor Tomlinson (Director of Photography) is a Los Angeles-based director of photography working predominantly in narrative and music videos. She is the recipient of the 2021 ASC Vision mentorship and 2019 Academy Gold internship through the Academy of Motion Pictures.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
On the day of an oppressive heatwave with her car in the shop, Lillian heads back home from getting groceries. In the midst of this simmering heat, she stumbles across Tom Richardson. A young man who cradles a milk jug filled with what appears to be gasoline. In a glance they share with one another, Lillian finds a strange connection to him. A connection similar to what it means to feel seen.
"Who is he? Why do I feel tied to him?"
Later that night, two fires break out in Lillian's neighborhood and sees Tom fleeing the scene of one fire. After the realization that he's an arsonist, she begins to mark the location of Tom's fires on a map. Over the course of seventy-three days, she pieces together the mystery of who he is.
Through Lillian's journey of discovering the identity of Tom, she begins to unravel the mystery of herself. A twenty-something that feels as if she's without direction and purpose looking for a way forward. Her journey is one not dissimilar to the feelings lingering around the modern age. The intensity of the digital world we exist in that strands us further away from deeper, human connections. Lillian is in many ways a reflection of the anxieties of the current world.
Combustion is a subjective film -- one where we are tied to the orbit of Lillian. We move through the narrative by her narration recounting this time period and her state of mind. Our experience to this film is directly related to her emotional ebb and flows, and grounding the audience within this is a huge component of this film's language.
A number of our references for this film include Terrence Malick's Badlands and Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here, which explore the psychology of our main characters through very subjective means (first-person narration, flashbacks appearing in the middle of scenes, obfuscated compositions that reflect an internal conflict).
***
HOW YOU HELP
Being an independent filmmaker asks a lot of you. The resources you pull together, the money you save up from paycheck to paycheck and scrounge together. Each amount saved bit by bit to help realize your ambitions with each new endeavor.
Having made eight short films and a web-series over the past ten years, each work has been a foundational lesson in not only honing my craft but also understanding how to achieve maximum results with as little economic footprint as possible. All my previous eight films have fortunately been made with self funding from this extensive planning.
While we've been thankful to pull together some of the funding for this from paychecks and odd jobs, with the ambitions and talent behind Combustion we need your help to see this film through to the finish line.
***
WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR
Combustion has a minimum shooting budget of $10,800. This will cover the bare essentials of production to get the film together and get the wheels turning to begin filming. If we don't hit this, we unfortunately will not be able to make the film and every amount pledged will revert back to you.
However, if we hit our intended goal of $13,500, we will successfully be able to pay the cast and crew entirely with your generous support and we launch towards production and subsequently post-production. Every bit pledged beyond this goal assures we can put the money towards surpassing this film's potential and sustaining a quality shoot for the cast and crew.
Production: $9,050.00
Post Production: $2,690.00
Contingency, Festivals, + Insurance: $1,760.00
Total: $13,500.00
THE ESTIMATED TIMELINE
Crowdfunding: July 2025
Principal Photography: August 2025
Editing: Late August-December 2025
Coloring + Sound Mixing: January-February 2026
Film Festival Run: March 2026-February 2027
Online Release: Spring / Summer 2027
***
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
Outside my apartment late one night in 2024, an arsonist’s fire broke out and became the impetus for something unexpected. With my co-writer and co-roommate Paolo Wolfsdorf, the conversation we had about the event revolved around understanding what would drive someone to start fires. And more importantly, what did these fires mean for them?
Through her own struggles, Lillian is as much a character trying to find this meaning as well as her own. What these fires mean for her and what compels her to find answers in the unknown. She's a product of the modern age where connection feels so distant between others and more difficult to grasp than ever before. She bears her heart in the hope that he’ll listen to her the way she does to him. She yearns to feel understood by someone. Anyone. Maybe all we can ask of ourselves is to hear Lillian. Maybe that can be our way towards something greater. When we give someone the space to be heard.
-Andrew Jacobson
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast and Crew
Costs $4,900
To pay the incredible members of the cast and crew!
Locations
Costs $460
To film at some incredibly cinematic locations!
On-Set Meals
Costs $2,040
To feed the cast and crew over the duration of the filming!
Post-Production
Costs $2,690
To pull together a vibrant 5.1 sound mix, detailed coloring, and breathtaking score!
Contingency, Film Festivals + Insurance
Costs $1,760
The additional elements to assure the film is insured, can be submitted to festivals, and can be covered for any additional costs!
Rentals + Purchases
Costs $1,650
To cover the costs of equipment rented for both camera + lighting, as well as additional production design + costuming needs!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Andrew Jacobson (Co-Writer / Producer / Director) is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker who focuses as a writer and director. Born in Texas and raised in Georgia, Andrew has pursued filmmaking as a lifelong career since he was a child. He graduated from DePaul University in Chicago, IL with a BFA in Directing. His recent award-winning short, Assimilation, gained critical acclaim to sold out festival audiences at historic theatrical venues such as the Music Box Theatre and TCL Chinese Theatre.
Kate Hader (Producer) is a creative producer with a strong background in literary and talent management. She is currently an Associate Producer on the upcoming feature Forbidden Fruits, starring Lili Reinhart, Victoria Pedretti, Lola Tung, Alexandra Shipp, and Emma Chamberlain, set for theatrical release by IFC in 2026. Kate has worked at Linden Entertainment and Echo Lake Entertainment, supporting clients across film, TV, and digital. A Northwestern graduate, she brings sharp creative instincts and hands-on production experience across scripted and unscripted formats.
Paolo Wolfsdorf (Co-Writer) is a writer from Massachusetts who likes character-driven stories, going on walks, and hanging out with friends. He is currently in development on multiple feature film scripts ranging from period adventure to environmental horror.
Taylor Tomlinson (Director of Photography) is a Los Angeles-based director of photography working predominantly in narrative and music videos. She is the recipient of the 2021 ASC Vision mentorship and 2019 Academy Gold internship through the Academy of Motion Pictures.