ELEVATION
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Experimental
After being fired from his job, factory worker Charlie 9413 finds himself lost in an industrial labyrinth where he encounters sprawling underground tunnels, an endless stairwell, and frightening creatures.
ELEVATION
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Experimental
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $22,565 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
25 supporters | followers
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After being fired from his job, factory worker Charlie 9413 finds himself lost in an industrial labyrinth where he encounters sprawling underground tunnels, an endless stairwell, and frightening creatures.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Inspired by surrealistic films of the 1920s and 30s, our film will send you on a horrific journey across the liminal derelicts of an authoritarian nightmare in a way that can only be described as an "Industrial Fairytale."
After his last shift at the factory, CHARLIE 9413 makes his way home. In his mailbox, he finds a peculiar wrapped flower. Attached to the flower is a job advertisement for a local greenhouse. Desperate for a new job, Charlie makes his way to the greenhouse. There, he encounters a strange GARDENER with solid BLACK EYES who directs him to an elevator which horribly malfunctions, sending him into a frightening industrial nightmare of twisting underground TUNNELS, an endless STAIRWELL, and uncanny CREATURES. As Dante did through the circles of Hell, Charlie must face his demons within this brutalist labyrinth. Will he make it out alive?
The world of our film is an ambiguous blend of many pasts inspired by 19th-century Birmingham and early 20th-century Pittsburgh alike. It’s a fractured timeline between the 1830s and 1940s where Model T cars are just as common as security cameras. An oppressive and totalitarian junkyard littered with SMOGGY SKYLINES and DIRTY FACES where the Industrial Revolution and the Great Depression converge. A place that would make Fritz Lang and Norman Cornish squirm.
In 2020, I moved from Michigan to Los Angeles to continue my film education. While moving into my apartment, I kept passing through the industrial stairwell of the complex, which immediately grabbed my attention for being so quiet and cold compared to the swarming city. It was the true definition of a liminal space, hypnotic and mysteriously beautiful. That was the seed which, years later, would become 'Elevation.'
This film has become a steady obsession for me over the years. I wrote the first draft when I was 19 and, by the time the film is finished, I will be 24 years old. Needless to say, I haven't known life without this movie for a long time. Major life events came and went, and the film was there every moment. A not-so-subtle whisper in my ear for five years. Now, after years of working in the film industry, I feel I'm finally ready to make the plunge!
Since the film has been with me for so long, it has grown, changed, and matured alongside me. Learning more and more with every production and personal hardship. For me, it's not an exaggeration to say the past twelve years of studying this art form have led to this moment. This movie represents everything I love and hope to achieve with this medium. In life, if I could only make one movie, this is it.
- When Can I Expect My Incentives?
Incentives will be rolled out in accordance with the film. Some, such as the custom worker ID card, will be sent within days, while others, like the director's commentary and screenplay book, will be delivered within one year following the end of our campaign.
- When Does Production Start?
Elevation will be filmed this summer between July and August.
- When Is The Release Date?
Elevation will be released between Q4 (October-December) of 2025 and Q1 (January-March) of 2026.
For additional questions, feel free to message us on Instagram @elevation.film
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $7,000
Creating the industrial world of the film takes the right locations, such as those seen above, found right here in Los Angeles.
Camera Equipment
Costs $6,500
Visual language is critical in creating an immersive experience, and surrealist films require a wide variety of tools to achieve it.
Wardrobe, Set Dressing, Makeup
Costs $5,000
Our Art Department will be crucial in grounding the heightened world of our film with believable texture and character.
Additional Equipment & Logistics
Costs $6,500
Like any film, additional resources and logistics are always required, such as monitors, tents, insurance, permits, and catering.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
After making home movies in the Midwest, Kaden officially started his filmmaking journey in 2013 at The New York Film Academy when he was 11 years old. Since then, he has gone on to study filmmaking through many different institutions such as The Digital Media Academy, ABC Studios, Northern Michigan University, and Columbia College Hollywood.
Now, after his formal education, Kaden continues learning in practice. Participating in many diverse roles in the film industry outside of writing and directing, such as First Assistant Director, Assistant Camera, Boom Operator, Gaffer, Grip, Production Assistant, and more. He continues to grow with his lifelong passion and works every day to achieve his cinematic aspirations.
George Bladon is an experienced film producer based in Los Angeles and founder of the music video production company Peyote Pictures LLC. Whether it’s hiring crew, acquiring production insurance or sorting out permits, he can handle anything a production throws at him.
George has worked alongside well-established production companies like Hungry Man INC., MJZ, SPARKY, and famous record labels such as Atlantic Records, ONErpm and Columbia Records. From handling 20k+ budgets to working with Grammy-winning artists like James Blake, George is well-equipped to help Elevation reach its creative goals in a cost-efficient manner.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Inspired by surrealistic films of the 1920s and 30s, our film will send you on a horrific journey across the liminal derelicts of an authoritarian nightmare in a way that can only be described as an "Industrial Fairytale."
After his last shift at the factory, CHARLIE 9413 makes his way home. In his mailbox, he finds a peculiar wrapped flower. Attached to the flower is a job advertisement for a local greenhouse. Desperate for a new job, Charlie makes his way to the greenhouse. There, he encounters a strange GARDENER with solid BLACK EYES who directs him to an elevator which horribly malfunctions, sending him into a frightening industrial nightmare of twisting underground TUNNELS, an endless STAIRWELL, and uncanny CREATURES. As Dante did through the circles of Hell, Charlie must face his demons within this brutalist labyrinth. Will he make it out alive?
The world of our film is an ambiguous blend of many pasts inspired by 19th-century Birmingham and early 20th-century Pittsburgh alike. It’s a fractured timeline between the 1830s and 1940s where Model T cars are just as common as security cameras. An oppressive and totalitarian junkyard littered with SMOGGY SKYLINES and DIRTY FACES where the Industrial Revolution and the Great Depression converge. A place that would make Fritz Lang and Norman Cornish squirm.
In 2020, I moved from Michigan to Los Angeles to continue my film education. While moving into my apartment, I kept passing through the industrial stairwell of the complex, which immediately grabbed my attention for being so quiet and cold compared to the swarming city. It was the true definition of a liminal space, hypnotic and mysteriously beautiful. That was the seed which, years later, would become 'Elevation.'
This film has become a steady obsession for me over the years. I wrote the first draft when I was 19 and, by the time the film is finished, I will be 24 years old. Needless to say, I haven't known life without this movie for a long time. Major life events came and went, and the film was there every moment. A not-so-subtle whisper in my ear for five years. Now, after years of working in the film industry, I feel I'm finally ready to make the plunge!
Since the film has been with me for so long, it has grown, changed, and matured alongside me. Learning more and more with every production and personal hardship. For me, it's not an exaggeration to say the past twelve years of studying this art form have led to this moment. This movie represents everything I love and hope to achieve with this medium. In life, if I could only make one movie, this is it.
- When Can I Expect My Incentives?
Incentives will be rolled out in accordance with the film. Some, such as the custom worker ID card, will be sent within days, while others, like the director's commentary and screenplay book, will be delivered within one year following the end of our campaign.
- When Does Production Start?
Elevation will be filmed this summer between July and August.
- When Is The Release Date?
Elevation will be released between Q4 (October-December) of 2025 and Q1 (January-March) of 2026.
For additional questions, feel free to message us on Instagram @elevation.film
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $7,000
Creating the industrial world of the film takes the right locations, such as those seen above, found right here in Los Angeles.
Camera Equipment
Costs $6,500
Visual language is critical in creating an immersive experience, and surrealist films require a wide variety of tools to achieve it.
Wardrobe, Set Dressing, Makeup
Costs $5,000
Our Art Department will be crucial in grounding the heightened world of our film with believable texture and character.
Additional Equipment & Logistics
Costs $6,500
Like any film, additional resources and logistics are always required, such as monitors, tents, insurance, permits, and catering.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
After making home movies in the Midwest, Kaden officially started his filmmaking journey in 2013 at The New York Film Academy when he was 11 years old. Since then, he has gone on to study filmmaking through many different institutions such as The Digital Media Academy, ABC Studios, Northern Michigan University, and Columbia College Hollywood.
Now, after his formal education, Kaden continues learning in practice. Participating in many diverse roles in the film industry outside of writing and directing, such as First Assistant Director, Assistant Camera, Boom Operator, Gaffer, Grip, Production Assistant, and more. He continues to grow with his lifelong passion and works every day to achieve his cinematic aspirations.
George Bladon is an experienced film producer based in Los Angeles and founder of the music video production company Peyote Pictures LLC. Whether it’s hiring crew, acquiring production insurance or sorting out permits, he can handle anything a production throws at him.
George has worked alongside well-established production companies like Hungry Man INC., MJZ, SPARKY, and famous record labels such as Atlantic Records, ONErpm and Columbia Records. From handling 20k+ budgets to working with Grammy-winning artists like James Blake, George is well-equipped to help Elevation reach its creative goals in a cost-efficient manner.