What would you do to fit in?

Delinquents is a coming of age film centered on the pressures of trying to fit in with the crowd. At it's core is Cam, a scholarship student at a prestigious prep school in Brooklyn New York, and when given the chance to connect and create a bond with the some of the elites of the school, thanks to his best friend Rowan, who's already assimilated, Cam takes the opportunity to fit in, participating in the groups petty theft that gets adrenaline junkies Clyde and Muncy pumped for the night ahead.

Yet, when the group discovers a lack of alcohol available to them, Cam takes a stand to propose a heist of his own- to steal from the bodega he once worked at. Providing distraction for the group to take as much alcohol, Cam goes to distract his former coworker Amos, after months of not seeing each other, and being forced to catch up and disclose his new life. Expecting disapproval, Cam is met by Amos' sympathy and connection, a reminder of the true friendship the two used to share.

However, when all goes wrong with their heist, Cam is forced to choose- between his new, rebellious yet adventurous friends, or coming clean, and helping his old friend.

Drawing inspiration from Danny Boyle's Trainspotting, with it's gritty and rebellious tones, Delinquents adds to Boyle's exploration of friendship, influences of said friends, and substance use, adapting and discussing these themes in our modern era and with the youth of today.

Much like Mathieu Kassovitz's La Haine, friendship and the dynamics that come with that drive the plot and emotional beats of Delinquents. But where Kassovitz's draws upon the lifelong bond of friendship, Delinquents delves into the inversion of such themes. What happens when you begin to see yourself outgrow, or no longer align with the moral values of your once called friends?

Additionally, Delinquents pulls the frenetic style of the Safdie Brother's work, with grandiose, dynamic camera work to emulate the frantic energy and insert the audience within each scene, growing the tension until all hell breaks lose. With Delinquents, we aim to create a heavily stylized look that draws the audience deeper into the dense world and story of the film through the hyper-stylized and captivating camera work from our incredible cinematographer, Tim Toliver.

Delinquents functions as an examination of friendship and peer pressure of the youth of today. With the pressures of social media, the urge to fit in with the crowd is ever present, and this drives Cam's character arc throughout the film. In an effort to fit in, Cam begins to lose who he was, growing ever closer to becoming a true delinquent akin to his friends. In the end, will Cam make the right choice, or will he succumb to the ideals of his so called friends?

In our current society, we are lacking in the third spaces prior generations grew up in and had at their disposal for socializing or just killing time. This sets the scene for our characters in Delinquents, with a shortage of activities and places to go, Cam and his friends turn to petty theft and substance use to fill their time. This idea drives the plot, locations and themes of Delinquents, providing an argument for the detriment this shortage of outside spaces has on the youth of today, woven in with the prior themes of peer pressure and friendship in this new age of socializing.

With the fast-paced nature, and frantic style of Delinquents, Cinematographer Tim Toliver aims to capture and portray this energy within the hyper-stylized cinematography. Utilizing dollies and handheld style, Toliver intends to move the camera along with the action, cementing the audience within the world of Delinquents, as if going alongside these characters on their various hijinks and heists.

The camera work draws heavily upon inspirations such as the Safdie Brothers, with their dynamic frame, mixed with the hyper-stylized and contrast heavy lighting, yet also the more still-life, perfectly composed approach, as seen in something like another inspiration, La Haine. This blend of the energetic camera, contrasted by the scenic, helps the film flow like the tide, slowly building up to the climax of each scene, and drawing the viewer in deeper and closer the life of Delinquents.

Our total crowdfunding goal is $10,000 by SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4th! No matter how big or small, every contribution matters in helping us get closer to our goal and towards making this production a reality!

We aim to begin principal photography in Early October. This campaign helps bridge our Pre-Production and Production stages, allowing all our hard work to come to fruition with your help! Any contribution helps bring us closer to the finish line!

Support of any kind is welcome, and a single follow, like, share, or pledge makes a huge difference for us! Please follow us @delinquentsfilm on Instagram and TikTok to connect and join us on our journey of production!