Death In Her Arms
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Short
Drama, Thriller
Death in Her Arms is a mind-bending, thriller/horror short film that addresses themes of grief, relational dynamics, and second chances, following two brothers who stop their heart to interrogate the dead in hopes to track their family's killer.
Death In Her Arms
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Short
Drama, Thriller
2 Campaigns | Florida, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $25,050 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
222 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Death in Her Arms is a mind-bending, thriller/horror short film that addresses themes of grief, relational dynamics, and second chances, following two brothers who stop their heart to interrogate the dead in hopes to track their family's killer.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
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With the help of his brother, a man stops his heart to interrogate the dead to track who killed his wife and unborn son.
.jpg)
Weeks from welcoming a baby boy into the world, Clay witnesses the murder of his pregnant wife, Grace. Shackled by guilt and trauma, Clay overdoses entering the afterlife where he has an emotional farewell with Grace. Fortunately, Clay is revived by his brother, Jay.
A month later, Clay finds out that Grace's killer has a brother who has recently died in an abandoned prison. Motivated by grief and vengeance, the brothers go to the prison and Clay stops his heart to enter the afterlife and interrogate the man, discovering a terrifying truth behind Grace's murder.
DEATH IN HER ARMS promises to be an intricate emotional experience that psychologically elevates genre film, rooted in character, cinema, and primordial fears.
.jpg)
DEATH IN HER ARMS has been my dream film for nearly five years. My great grandmother unfortunately passed away on my fourteenth birthday, and I remember vividly attending the funeral angry, depressed, longing for a second chance to hear her voice, while my other family members were rejoicing. I was perplexed on how what I saw as a tragic end, others saw as a beautiful beginning, and that sparked the conceptualization of this story.
For many years, I've used the thriller/horror sphere as a therapeutic way of confronting my personal traumas and fears, and DEATH IN HER ARMS is no exception. One of my biggest fears is losing loved ones without getting a proper farewell, and I needed to see a film where characters that suffer loss get a cathartic second chance at saying goodbye.
This short film serves as a glimpse into a much larger story we want to tell one day. Unfortunately, loss is inevitable for all of us, and there's no proper way to cope with grief. But one thing my great grandmother's passing taught me is sometimes the moments that feel the darkest can actually become the most beautiful.
Which is why I want to take you on the experience of DEATH IN HER ARMS, a chilling, mind-bending, emotionally intense ride with a profound message that a lot of us, especially fourteen-year-old me, needed to hear: Death is NOT the end.
- Corey Emanuel Jr.
Corey Emanuel Jr. - Writer | Director
Corey is a Guyanese American award-winning writer/director whose work has premiered at Oscar-Qualifying film festivals such as the American Black Film Festival, Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival, and BronzeLens Film Festival, as well as premiered on online platforms such as OMELETO and Film Shortage.
Shellita Boxie - Actor
Shellita is an award-winning actor from Louisiana. She earned an AA Degree from Valencia College and a BA Degree from the University of Central Florida. Her stunts and acting credits span over 100 films including Marvel Civil War, Lovecraft Country, The Hunger Games, The Walking Dead, I'm A Virgo, The Color Purple, and more. We are blessed to have Shellita playing the motherly role of Angela.
Andre De'Sean Shanks - Actor
Andre is an award-winning actor based in New Orleans, LA. He attended The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York City, and his work includes Interview with the Vampire, Emancipation, Queen & Slim, Queen Sugar, 12 Years a Slave, and more. We are honored to have Andre play the lead role of Jay.
Lili Dessalegn Tegegn - Producer
Lili is an Ethiopian producer that desires to create inspiring films from passionate storytellers of color. In 2023, she executive produced the short film I Do, which premiered on OMELETO. She later went on to executive produce the short film Haven which has screen at 5 Oscar-qualifying film festivals and counting.
Andrew Asemokai - Composer
Andrew studied at the Screen Scoring Master's program at the University of Southern California, where he was elected the first Class Representative ever. Andrew has scored a multitude of projects, ranging from short films to feature films, trailers, promotional videos, podcasts, and web series for companies such as Beats by Dre, Jordan-Nike, the NBA's Utah Jazz, Marvel Television, Tribeca, the NAACP and more.
John Carrington III - Director of Photography
John is a director of photography and a member of ICG Local 600 represented by Zero Gravity Management. Today, John has worked in over 30 countries and all across North America on large productions and projects more intimate in scale. In 2020, John shot the feature film A Father's Legacy, starring Tobin Bell from the Saw Franchise.
Death in Her Arms takes the worlds-within-worlds of Inception, combined with the crossing to the other side like Flatliners and the dark realm and evil spirits of Insidious.
The proof of concept's tone is suspenseful and thrilling yet rooted in grief and emotional heartbreak. While we utilize horror and some supernatural elements, our priority is that the film stays grounded by fond memories and moments of mourning to connect the audience to the characters. We explore relationship dynamics through the healing and traumatic aspects of grief, and for a sense of relief, comedy is sprinkled throughout the film.
Visually, we aim to build our cinematic language around dramatic shadows, intentional color pallets, and unique compositions. The goal is to create a emotionally tense mood, bringing terror through vulnerability instead of solely jump scares.
Reference stills from our recent short HAVEN
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We really need YOUR support.
Currently we are in Pre-Production, and this campaign allows us to go into Production this December! Then, we will go into Post-Production and have a Final Cut of the film for our Festival Run by February 2025!
As a team, we hope to raise $30,000 for Production through our 30 day Seed&Spark campaign. Your contribution will be invaluable in the fruition of this film and the well being of our team.
To receive funding from Seed & Spark, we need to achieve 100% of our goal or we will not receive any funds. The funds you are helping us raise will be used for the following:
With our goal of $30,000, we can take the first step toward bringing this film to life. But with your support, we can reach for stretch goals and really craft this film to it's highest potential.
- If we raise $37,000, we can pay the entirety of our post-production stage.
- If we raise $40,000, we can add additional rigs, jibs, and a drone.
- If we raise $45,000, we can add an additional day of shooting and offer higher compensation to our crew.
.jpg)
Crossing over to the other side, Pre-production to Production, does involve some risks such as an actor, location, or crew member dropping out due to unforeseen circumstances. Luckily, we're prepared as we've taken precautions, secured insurance, and budgeted for contingencies!
The biggest concern is falling short of our funding goal, which could cause a delay in production, but we are determined to make this film a reality despite what obstacles we may face. We have full confidence in crafting additional rewrites in the event this were to happen to ensure this film gets brought to the big screen without sacrificing the authenticity of the story.
We want to sincerely thank you for being a supporter of DEATH IN HER ARMS and our team. Your contribution plays a vital role in bringing this thrilling, mind-bending, heartfelt story to life. The fact that you've read down to the bottom of this page shows us how much you really care, and we are beyond grateful for your time and consideration. If you are unable to contribute today, it would mean the world if you could follow us and if you could spread the word about our film to others. We would love for you to stay in touch in our film's journey @deathinherarms, and we seriously cannot thank you enough for your support!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $6,000
This allows us the proper locations needed to build the world of the film including a cabin, rural home, and abandoned prison.
Craft Services
Costs $2,000
It's super important to us to ensure the cast and crew is fed and taken care of. This allots us funds to hire a crafty team.
Production Staff
Costs $5,000
We can't pull this off without our singular crew. This helps us pay the talented individuals that get the look and sound of the film.
Travel & Lodging
Costs $4,000
This helps cover the cost for some of the cast and crew that don't live locally.
Art Department
Costs $1,000
Helps fund an amazing art team for the film's tonality and style.
Share this update!
About This Team
COREY EMANUEL JR. - WRITER, DIRECTOR, PRODUCER
Corey is a Guyanese American award-winning writer/director whose work has premiered at Oscar-Qualifying film festivals such as the American Black Film Festival, Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival, and BronzeLens Film Festival, as well as premiered on online platforms such as OMELETO and Film Shortage.
LILI DESSALEGN TEGEGN - PRODUCER
Lili is an Ethiopian producer that desires to create inspiring films from passionate storytellers of color. In 2023, she executive produced the short film I Do, which premiered on OMELETO. She later went on to executive produce the short film Haven which has screen at 4 Oscar-qualifying film festivals and counting.
JACOB BEST - PRODUCER
Jacob is a producer who lent his skillset behind the camera on the short film "HAVEN" where he worked as first assistant camera. He is interested in bringing unique and distinct genre film to screen.
TEGAN BEST - PRODUCER
Tegan is a talented makeup artist based in Florida. She's worked on numerous projects including "HAVEN". We are elated to have Tegan on board of "DEATH IN HER ARMS" as Key Makeup Artist AND Associate Producer.
SHELLITA BOXIE - ACTOR
Shellita is an award-winning actor from Louisiana. She earned an AA Degree from Valencia College and a BA Degree from the University of Central Florida. Her stunts and acting credits span over 100 films including Marvel Civil War, Lovecraft Country, The Hunger Games, The Walking Dead, I'm A Virgo, The Color Purple, and more.
JOHN CARRINGTON III - CINEMATOGRAPHER
John Carrington is a director of photography and a member of ICG Local 600 represented by Zero Gravity Management. Today, John has worked in over 30 countries and all across North American on large productions and projects more intimate in scale. In 2020, John shot the feature film 'A Father's Legacy' staring Tobin Bell. In 2024, John shot the short film 'Haven' directed by Corey Emanuel Jr.
ANDREW ASEMOKAI - COMPOSER
Andrew studied at the Screen Scoring Master's program at the University of Southern California, where he was elected the first Class Representative ever. Andrew has scored a multitude of projects, ranging from short films to feature films, trailers, promotional videos, podcasts, and web series for companies such as Beats by Dre, Jordan-Nike, the NBA's Utah Jazz, Marvel Television, Tribeca, the NAACP and more.
ANDRE DE'SEAN SHANKS - ACTOR
Andre is an award-winning actor based in New Orleans, LA. He attended The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York City, and his work includes Interview with the Vampire, Emancipation, Queen & Slim, Queen Sugar, 12 Years a Slave, and more.
TAMIA IMAN KENNEDY - ACTOR, PRODUCER
Tamia is a multi-hyphenate creator deeply committed to ensuring Black representation in film and television. Her profound love for storytelling has allowed her to successfully create a lane that includes acting, writing, producing, and film education. Tamia makes it a mission to share positive Black stories and create accessibility for Black creatives.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
With the help of his brother, a man stops his heart to interrogate the dead to track who killed his wife and unborn son.
Weeks from welcoming a baby boy into the world, Clay witnesses the murder of his pregnant wife, Grace. Shackled by guilt and trauma, Clay overdoses entering the afterlife where he has an emotional farewell with Grace. Fortunately, Clay is revived by his brother, Jay.
A month later, Clay finds out that Grace's killer has a brother who has recently died in an abandoned prison. Motivated by grief and vengeance, the brothers go to the prison and Clay stops his heart to enter the afterlife and interrogate the man, discovering a terrifying truth behind Grace's murder.
DEATH IN HER ARMS promises to be an intricate emotional experience that psychologically elevates genre film, rooted in character, cinema, and primordial fears.
DEATH IN HER ARMS has been my dream film for nearly five years. My great grandmother unfortunately passed away on my fourteenth birthday, and I remember vividly attending the funeral angry, depressed, longing for a second chance to hear her voice, while my other family members were rejoicing. I was perplexed on how what I saw as a tragic end, others saw as a beautiful beginning, and that sparked the conceptualization of this story.
For many years, I've used the thriller/horror sphere as a therapeutic way of confronting my personal traumas and fears, and DEATH IN HER ARMS is no exception. One of my biggest fears is losing loved ones without getting a proper farewell, and I needed to see a film where characters that suffer loss get a cathartic second chance at saying goodbye.
This short film serves as a glimpse into a much larger story we want to tell one day. Unfortunately, loss is inevitable for all of us, and there's no proper way to cope with grief. But one thing my great grandmother's passing taught me is sometimes the moments that feel the darkest can actually become the most beautiful.
Which is why I want to take you on the experience of DEATH IN HER ARMS, a chilling, mind-bending, emotionally intense ride with a profound message that a lot of us, especially fourteen-year-old me, needed to hear: Death is NOT the end.
- Corey Emanuel Jr.
Corey Emanuel Jr. - Writer | Director
Corey is a Guyanese American award-winning writer/director whose work has premiered at Oscar-Qualifying film festivals such as the American Black Film Festival, Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival, and BronzeLens Film Festival, as well as premiered on online platforms such as OMELETO and Film Shortage.
Shellita Boxie - Actor
Shellita is an award-winning actor from Louisiana. She earned an AA Degree from Valencia College and a BA Degree from the University of Central Florida. Her stunts and acting credits span over 100 films including Marvel Civil War, Lovecraft Country, The Hunger Games, The Walking Dead, I'm A Virgo, The Color Purple, and more. We are blessed to have Shellita playing the motherly role of Angela.
Andre De'Sean Shanks - Actor
Andre is an award-winning actor based in New Orleans, LA. He attended The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York City, and his work includes Interview with the Vampire, Emancipation, Queen & Slim, Queen Sugar, 12 Years a Slave, and more. We are honored to have Andre play the lead role of Jay.
Lili Dessalegn Tegegn - Producer
Lili is an Ethiopian producer that desires to create inspiring films from passionate storytellers of color. In 2023, she executive produced the short film I Do, which premiered on OMELETO. She later went on to executive produce the short film Haven which has screen at 5 Oscar-qualifying film festivals and counting.
Andrew Asemokai - Composer
Andrew studied at the Screen Scoring Master's program at the University of Southern California, where he was elected the first Class Representative ever. Andrew has scored a multitude of projects, ranging from short films to feature films, trailers, promotional videos, podcasts, and web series for companies such as Beats by Dre, Jordan-Nike, the NBA's Utah Jazz, Marvel Television, Tribeca, the NAACP and more.
John Carrington III - Director of Photography
John is a director of photography and a member of ICG Local 600 represented by Zero Gravity Management. Today, John has worked in over 30 countries and all across North America on large productions and projects more intimate in scale. In 2020, John shot the feature film A Father's Legacy, starring Tobin Bell from the Saw Franchise.
Death in Her Arms takes the worlds-within-worlds of Inception, combined with the crossing to the other side like Flatliners and the dark realm and evil spirits of Insidious.
The proof of concept's tone is suspenseful and thrilling yet rooted in grief and emotional heartbreak. While we utilize horror and some supernatural elements, our priority is that the film stays grounded by fond memories and moments of mourning to connect the audience to the characters. We explore relationship dynamics through the healing and traumatic aspects of grief, and for a sense of relief, comedy is sprinkled throughout the film.
Visually, we aim to build our cinematic language around dramatic shadows, intentional color pallets, and unique compositions. The goal is to create a emotionally tense mood, bringing terror through vulnerability instead of solely jump scares.
Reference stills from our recent short HAVEN
We really need YOUR support.
Currently we are in Pre-Production, and this campaign allows us to go into Production this December! Then, we will go into Post-Production and have a Final Cut of the film for our Festival Run by February 2025!
As a team, we hope to raise $30,000 for Production through our 30 day Seed&Spark campaign. Your contribution will be invaluable in the fruition of this film and the well being of our team.
To receive funding from Seed & Spark, we need to achieve 100% of our goal or we will not receive any funds. The funds you are helping us raise will be used for the following:
With our goal of $30,000, we can take the first step toward bringing this film to life. But with your support, we can reach for stretch goals and really craft this film to it's highest potential.
- If we raise $37,000, we can pay the entirety of our post-production stage.
- If we raise $40,000, we can add additional rigs, jibs, and a drone.
- If we raise $45,000, we can add an additional day of shooting and offer higher compensation to our crew.
Crossing over to the other side, Pre-production to Production, does involve some risks such as an actor, location, or crew member dropping out due to unforeseen circumstances. Luckily, we're prepared as we've taken precautions, secured insurance, and budgeted for contingencies!
The biggest concern is falling short of our funding goal, which could cause a delay in production, but we are determined to make this film a reality despite what obstacles we may face. We have full confidence in crafting additional rewrites in the event this were to happen to ensure this film gets brought to the big screen without sacrificing the authenticity of the story.
We want to sincerely thank you for being a supporter of DEATH IN HER ARMS and our team. Your contribution plays a vital role in bringing this thrilling, mind-bending, heartfelt story to life. The fact that you've read down to the bottom of this page shows us how much you really care, and we are beyond grateful for your time and consideration. If you are unable to contribute today, it would mean the world if you could follow us and if you could spread the word about our film to others. We would love for you to stay in touch in our film's journey @deathinherarms, and we seriously cannot thank you enough for your support!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $6,000
This allows us the proper locations needed to build the world of the film including a cabin, rural home, and abandoned prison.
Craft Services
Costs $2,000
It's super important to us to ensure the cast and crew is fed and taken care of. This allots us funds to hire a crafty team.
Production Staff
Costs $5,000
We can't pull this off without our singular crew. This helps us pay the talented individuals that get the look and sound of the film.
Travel & Lodging
Costs $4,000
This helps cover the cost for some of the cast and crew that don't live locally.
Art Department
Costs $1,000
Helps fund an amazing art team for the film's tonality and style.
Share this update!
About This Team
COREY EMANUEL JR. - WRITER, DIRECTOR, PRODUCER
Corey is a Guyanese American award-winning writer/director whose work has premiered at Oscar-Qualifying film festivals such as the American Black Film Festival, Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival, and BronzeLens Film Festival, as well as premiered on online platforms such as OMELETO and Film Shortage.
LILI DESSALEGN TEGEGN - PRODUCER
Lili is an Ethiopian producer that desires to create inspiring films from passionate storytellers of color. In 2023, she executive produced the short film I Do, which premiered on OMELETO. She later went on to executive produce the short film Haven which has screen at 4 Oscar-qualifying film festivals and counting.
JACOB BEST - PRODUCER
Jacob is a producer who lent his skillset behind the camera on the short film "HAVEN" where he worked as first assistant camera. He is interested in bringing unique and distinct genre film to screen.
TEGAN BEST - PRODUCER
Tegan is a talented makeup artist based in Florida. She's worked on numerous projects including "HAVEN". We are elated to have Tegan on board of "DEATH IN HER ARMS" as Key Makeup Artist AND Associate Producer.
SHELLITA BOXIE - ACTOR
Shellita is an award-winning actor from Louisiana. She earned an AA Degree from Valencia College and a BA Degree from the University of Central Florida. Her stunts and acting credits span over 100 films including Marvel Civil War, Lovecraft Country, The Hunger Games, The Walking Dead, I'm A Virgo, The Color Purple, and more.
JOHN CARRINGTON III - CINEMATOGRAPHER
John Carrington is a director of photography and a member of ICG Local 600 represented by Zero Gravity Management. Today, John has worked in over 30 countries and all across North American on large productions and projects more intimate in scale. In 2020, John shot the feature film 'A Father's Legacy' staring Tobin Bell. In 2024, John shot the short film 'Haven' directed by Corey Emanuel Jr.
ANDREW ASEMOKAI - COMPOSER
Andrew studied at the Screen Scoring Master's program at the University of Southern California, where he was elected the first Class Representative ever. Andrew has scored a multitude of projects, ranging from short films to feature films, trailers, promotional videos, podcasts, and web series for companies such as Beats by Dre, Jordan-Nike, the NBA's Utah Jazz, Marvel Television, Tribeca, the NAACP and more.
ANDRE DE'SEAN SHANKS - ACTOR
Andre is an award-winning actor based in New Orleans, LA. He attended The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York City, and his work includes Interview with the Vampire, Emancipation, Queen & Slim, Queen Sugar, 12 Years a Slave, and more.
TAMIA IMAN KENNEDY - ACTOR, PRODUCER
Tamia is a multi-hyphenate creator deeply committed to ensuring Black representation in film and television. Her profound love for storytelling has allowed her to successfully create a lane that includes acting, writing, producing, and film education. Tamia makes it a mission to share positive Black stories and create accessibility for Black creatives.