Express
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Thriller
We’ve all found ourselves alone in a room, waiting, with no company beyond our own thoughts. And that’s what EXPRESS is: a film about a lone woman in a single room. But when that elevator breaks down, she finds she’s not alone after all. Someone, or something, is lurking outside... or is it?
Express
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Thriller
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $12,955 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
86 supporters | followers
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We’ve all found ourselves alone in a room, waiting, with no company beyond our own thoughts. And that’s what EXPRESS is: a film about a lone woman in a single room. But when that elevator breaks down, she finds she’s not alone after all. Someone, or something, is lurking outside... or is it?
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Our Story
EXPRESS is the story of Dinah, a young executive who's clawed her way up the corporate ladder with impeccably manicured nails. Powerful. Driven. Ruthless.
When we meet her, she's on her way to her next step. There's a meeting set up just to give her a shot at reaching that next new height. Tonight is the night she could ascend to corporate godhood. All that's in the way is a single ride down an express elevator. This is it. This is her moment. All those years of work, all the long hours, all those competitors she beat... tonight is going to make everything worth it.
And then the elevator stops.
She's alone. No cellphone signal. Any other night and this would merely be an annoyance... but now everything she's struggled for is in jeopardy.
Suddenly the elevator isn't a convienence. Now it's a prison.
No sounds. The hatch is locked. The doors won't open. Even if they did, there'd be nowhere to go. It's an express elevator. No stops between the 30th floor and the lobby.
She begins to pace, hyperventilate, panic. Screams for someone to help, someone to let her out...
But when the emergency intercom crackles to life, the answers it gives her are so much worse than the silence.
One Woman. One Room.
EXPRESS is storytelling stripped down to the absolute bare minimum. A single on-screen actor and a single set. No flashbacks, no fantasies, no dreams: everything that happens to Dinah happens in the elevator.
This presents us with a unique challenge, one that we need your help to realize. We're going to be leaning exclusively on the quality of our set and the talent of our actor.
Poised to tackle this challenge from behind the camera are creative women and men, Mongolian and American. Having these diverse perspectives will allow us to create a short that's more vibrant, more resonant, and capable of reaching a larger audience.
Our film will be unlike anything else, and we invite you all to be a part of it.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Help Make Express Come to Life
Costs $14,000
We need your help to make this come true! Your help will go towards production and post production!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Nimi Lkhagva | Director
Nyamjargal (Nimi) Lkhagva is a film director who currently resides in Los Angeles. She started a production company, Mongus Pictures, with her business partner in 2015. Her interest in film began long before coming over; she was always interested in the arts, music, photography, and poetry even at a young age. While working in Los Angeles, her work drew attention and was chosen as a recipient of the grant from the Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences and has since worked in various positions ranging from TV shows to features. Her hope is to continue to direct and unite with Mongolian filmmakers and make movies all over the world. She enjoys diving into old classic films and does yoga in her spare time.
Graham Westerson | Writer
Born and raised in Southern California, Graham spent his childhood daydreaming. He kept living in his head through adolescence and onward to adulthood. It wasn’t until he attended UC Riverside that it occurred to him to write these narratives down.
Emily Norovsambuu | Producer
Emily Norovsambuu is a producer based in Los Angeles. She graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration specialized in Business Law from Cal State Northridge in 2015. For the last three years, she has been producing commercials and now shifting to film and working as a script supervisor and producer on features, short films, and web series. She loves to play volleyball, dance and organize children’s concert for her community.
Mike Maliwanag | Director of Photography
Mike is a cinematographer based in Los Angeles. He has cut his teeth working in the lighting department on motion picture films and now works full time shooting branded content and narrative films. His work has been featured at the Sundance Film Festival, Outfest, and other festivals across the world. When not shooting he likes to travel and eat new dishes from all over the world and is currently obsessed with okonomiyaki.
Ainsley Buhl | Costume Designer
Ainsley Buhl hails from Virginia Beach, Virginia. She graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and a B.F.A. in Sculpture from Drake University, in 2012. At San Diego State University in 2015, she also received an M.F.A. in Sculpture. For the last three years she has been working in costume departments in the film industry; primarily Showtime TV shows and various commercials, shorts, and art related projects. As of a couple months ago, Ainsley proudly became a Motion Picture Costumers Local 705 union member.
Iveel Mashbat | Assistant Director
Iveel Mashbat is a Los Angeles based filmmaker who’s worked in films since his early childhood. Born into a film industry family in Mongolia, his dream is to help expand the Mongolian film industry. In his free time, Iveel enjoys taking photographs and coming up with step by step guidelines for overcoming procrastination.
Saruul Bekhbaatar | Key Make-Up Artist
Saruul Bekhbaatar is Los Angeles based freelance makeup artist. Saruul has a B.A. degree in international relations and worked as an ”International Doorway Mongolia“ program manager in Mongolian National Youth Agency until she decided to continue her education in the USA in 2011. After completing her degree in high fashion/photographic makeup artist at Cinema Makeup School since 2015 she has been working professionally in the entertainment industry.
Marc Cardenas | Editor
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Marc Cardenas is an editor born and raised in Los Angeles. He has cut feature films within the horror genre and has a penchant for bold styles and experimentation. When he’s not editing, he enjoys epic sunsets on the beach, discovering new music, cooking, and learning photography... all at the same time.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Our Story
EXPRESS is the story of Dinah, a young executive who's clawed her way up the corporate ladder with impeccably manicured nails. Powerful. Driven. Ruthless.
When we meet her, she's on her way to her next step. There's a meeting set up just to give her a shot at reaching that next new height. Tonight is the night she could ascend to corporate godhood. All that's in the way is a single ride down an express elevator. This is it. This is her moment. All those years of work, all the long hours, all those competitors she beat... tonight is going to make everything worth it.
And then the elevator stops.
She's alone. No cellphone signal. Any other night and this would merely be an annoyance... but now everything she's struggled for is in jeopardy.
Suddenly the elevator isn't a convienence. Now it's a prison.
No sounds. The hatch is locked. The doors won't open. Even if they did, there'd be nowhere to go. It's an express elevator. No stops between the 30th floor and the lobby.
She begins to pace, hyperventilate, panic. Screams for someone to help, someone to let her out...
But when the emergency intercom crackles to life, the answers it gives her are so much worse than the silence.
One Woman. One Room.
EXPRESS is storytelling stripped down to the absolute bare minimum. A single on-screen actor and a single set. No flashbacks, no fantasies, no dreams: everything that happens to Dinah happens in the elevator.
This presents us with a unique challenge, one that we need your help to realize. We're going to be leaning exclusively on the quality of our set and the talent of our actor.
Poised to tackle this challenge from behind the camera are creative women and men, Mongolian and American. Having these diverse perspectives will allow us to create a short that's more vibrant, more resonant, and capable of reaching a larger audience.
Our film will be unlike anything else, and we invite you all to be a part of it.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Help Make Express Come to Life
Costs $14,000
We need your help to make this come true! Your help will go towards production and post production!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Nimi Lkhagva | Director
Nyamjargal (Nimi) Lkhagva is a film director who currently resides in Los Angeles. She started a production company, Mongus Pictures, with her business partner in 2015. Her interest in film began long before coming over; she was always interested in the arts, music, photography, and poetry even at a young age. While working in Los Angeles, her work drew attention and was chosen as a recipient of the grant from the Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences and has since worked in various positions ranging from TV shows to features. Her hope is to continue to direct and unite with Mongolian filmmakers and make movies all over the world. She enjoys diving into old classic films and does yoga in her spare time.
Graham Westerson | Writer
Born and raised in Southern California, Graham spent his childhood daydreaming. He kept living in his head through adolescence and onward to adulthood. It wasn’t until he attended UC Riverside that it occurred to him to write these narratives down.
Emily Norovsambuu | Producer
Emily Norovsambuu is a producer based in Los Angeles. She graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration specialized in Business Law from Cal State Northridge in 2015. For the last three years, she has been producing commercials and now shifting to film and working as a script supervisor and producer on features, short films, and web series. She loves to play volleyball, dance and organize children’s concert for her community.
Mike Maliwanag | Director of Photography
Mike is a cinematographer based in Los Angeles. He has cut his teeth working in the lighting department on motion picture films and now works full time shooting branded content and narrative films. His work has been featured at the Sundance Film Festival, Outfest, and other festivals across the world. When not shooting he likes to travel and eat new dishes from all over the world and is currently obsessed with okonomiyaki.
Ainsley Buhl | Costume Designer
Ainsley Buhl hails from Virginia Beach, Virginia. She graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and a B.F.A. in Sculpture from Drake University, in 2012. At San Diego State University in 2015, she also received an M.F.A. in Sculpture. For the last three years she has been working in costume departments in the film industry; primarily Showtime TV shows and various commercials, shorts, and art related projects. As of a couple months ago, Ainsley proudly became a Motion Picture Costumers Local 705 union member.
Iveel Mashbat | Assistant Director
Iveel Mashbat is a Los Angeles based filmmaker who’s worked in films since his early childhood. Born into a film industry family in Mongolia, his dream is to help expand the Mongolian film industry. In his free time, Iveel enjoys taking photographs and coming up with step by step guidelines for overcoming procrastination.
Saruul Bekhbaatar | Key Make-Up Artist
Saruul Bekhbaatar is Los Angeles based freelance makeup artist. Saruul has a B.A. degree in international relations and worked as an ”International Doorway Mongolia“ program manager in Mongolian National Youth Agency until she decided to continue her education in the USA in 2011. After completing her degree in high fashion/photographic makeup artist at Cinema Makeup School since 2015 she has been working professionally in the entertainment industry.
Marc Cardenas | Editor
Marc Cardenas is an editor born and raised in Los Angeles. He has cut feature films within the horror genre and has a penchant for bold styles and experimentation. When he’s not editing, he enjoys epic sunsets on the beach, discovering new music, cooking, and learning photography... all at the same time.