Harper - Festival Funds
Farmington Hills, Michigan | Film Short
Drama, Sci-Fi
'Harper' is a story that follows Jane Doe - a stranded time traveller searching for her husband. This is a story that aims to motivate young women and girls to pursue careers in the sciences, while promoting independent Detroit-based productions.
Harper - Festival Funds
Farmington Hills, Michigan | Film Short
Drama, Sci-Fi

2 Campaigns | Michigan, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $4,950 for festivals. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
75 supporters | followers
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'Harper' is a story that follows Jane Doe - a stranded time traveller searching for her husband. This is a story that aims to motivate young women and girls to pursue careers in the sciences, while promoting independent Detroit-based productions.
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
‘Harper’ is the story of a stranded time-traveller named Jane Doe, who is searching for her missing husband.
Set in present day Virginia, near the Shenandoah Valley off the Appalachian Trail, Jane takes refuge at a hiker haven. But her host, Jim Boulders - a Trail Angel - has begun to notice the strange broadcasts she sends at night and the mysterious device she moves from hiding spot to hiding spot. Hesitant to trust anyone with her secret, Jane denies accusation of being anything other than a discouraged outdoorswoman. But when an unexpected visitor comes knocking on the front door, Jane must act fast and smart to prevent the consequences of her secret from harming her host.
One of the missions of this piece is to ground a relatable and in-depth character within the genre of science fiction. Jane Doe is a character that people should want to emulate - she's independent, she's intelligent, and she's careful about who she chooses to trust.
It's also important to our team to represent filmmakers in Michigan by producing well told, quality cinema.
Themes:
The prominent themes of this project are:
This is a story about a woman who is trying to save her husband.
This is a story about a woman who regains the ability to trust.
This is a story about a woman who is doing everything she can we what she is given.
This is a story that we feel is important to tell RIGHT NOW because it centers
around a woman who is from a future not too far off from our own. She has
made a major technological breakthrough that has changed the world as we
know it. The larger goal of this piece is to provide our audience with an
encouraging reminder that human beings are capable of great things.
Project History:
In August of 2018, we launched a campaign on Seed&Spark to raise funding for Production on ‘Harper.’ In the final hours of the campaign, we surpassed the 80% mark and were green-lit to receive funding. That funding allowed us to rent equipment, feed and pay our crew and talent, and buy all props and wardrobe items for the shoot.
The film is now edited and going through color grading and VFX work.
The funding we are campaigning for now is primarily for sound design and
musical scoring. When this film is finished, it's most immediate destination will be to go to film festivals. Film festivals are important because not only is it the only way to see the film (unless you've got your invite to the private screening), but it's also an opportunity to see how the project resonates in the professional world. But, film festivals cost money to submit to. And if we are accepted, the costs of attending them can quickly add up.
This campaign is primarily to raise funding to exhibit 'Harper' through film festivals.
This film was shot in Ann Arbor, MI in Ocotober of 2018.
Director's Statement
I vividly remember walking off the plane when I visited Nepal in 2015 and knowing that, although I was on the same planet, I was in an entirely different world. I was cut off from everyone and everything I knew. I remember the acute feeling of distance - of knowing just how far away I was from the comfort of familiarity. I felt alone. I felt scared. I felt excited. I even felt a little bit romantic. Much is similar for our hero. Perhaps the most mysterious aspect of Harper is how incredibly relatable she is, just under uncommon circumstances. Although we will be touching on elements of science fiction and new technology, it is important to me that throughout all of this story, we see Harper is a human being.
Harper’s presence and the mystery that surrounds her is what draws me most to this story. There are several opportunities to observe her when she is alone and I like that she has an agenda that she reserves. There are moments of isolation when Harper is most real and not afraid to show her vulnerable side. She's not our typical hero. While she has a clear goal to find her husband, her current situation finds her stranded. These opportunities when Harper is alone give us a lot of freedom to show the depth of her frustrating situation.
Let's bring Harper home!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Permissions
Costs $1,000
These fees cover rights usage for some images/audio we need to use.
Finishing Sound Costs
Costs $1,000
These costs will secure our personnel for sound design and musical scoring.
Post Production Hard Drive
Costs $150
This funding allows us to purchase a hard drive to work from during editing.
Film Festival Submission Fees
Costs $2,800
Costs that are associated with festival submissions fees as well as attending festivals.
About This Team
Writer/Producer/Director
Bradley Michael
Bradley Michael was born and raised in Michigan's Detroit area. He has long been a lover of film and theatre, graduating from Grand Valley State University in 2012 with B.S in Fiction Filmmaking. Since graduating, Bradley has worked in the camera department of feature films Papou and Horse Camp, starring Dean Cain. Bradley's full length play So Long Until Tomorrow was produced in 2014 at The AKT Theatre Project in Wyandotte, MI.
Bradley's most recent work includes a feature length documentary exploring the artistic influences on Michigan towns and cities - 'The Artist Collective Project: Mitten.' He also wrote and produced 'Windows,' a short film that follows a woman who observes, admires and obesses over the lives of her neighbors.
Bradley is also an avid traveller, having visited Australia, Japan, Nepal, Utah's Zion area, and is currently preparing to hike the Colorado Trail in the summer of 2019.
He currently resides in Farmington Hills, MI.
Producer
Melissa Ramsey
Melissa has spent the last several years working behind the scenes in the film industry. As a kid, she always had her nose in a book, from the classic H. G. Wells "The Time Machine" to Star Wars novels. Her love of movies came later with no less enthusiasm.
As a producer on Harper, she wants to give her audiences the same thrills and excitement as the generations of filmmakers before her.
Director of Photography
Matthew von Dayton
Matt straddles the line between artist and technician, focusing on creating unique imagery in effort to maintain a diverse creative workload from feature films and music videos to commercials and experimental video art.
He works primarily as producer, director of photography, and editor for numerous film projects while pursuing various endeavors in other art forms.
Editor
Andrew Wecht
A 2015 Film & Television/Sound Design graduate from the Savannah College of Art and Design, Andrew is constantly practicing the art of film and expanding his horizons through a lifelong and joyful pursuit of self-betterment. He has edited music videos, commercial projects for tv, and short films featured at numerous film festivals—most notably Orlando Film Festival, CayFilm, Savannah Film Festival, and Richmond International Film Festival.
He looks forward to working closely with the team to bring Harper to life!
Composer
Gene Knific
Pianist, composer, and arranger Gene Knific has won four ASCAP Young Jazz Composers awards and 8 Down Beat Magazine awards for his performances and compositions in jazz and contemporary categories. An active composer, Knific had his work Relapse performed and recorded by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in 2016 and his cello concerto premiered in fall of 2017 at the University of Oklahoma. Knific’s work as an arranger has brought him to write for multiple orchestral recording sessions at Abbey Road Studios in London, where he is currently helping to oversee a large scale progressive rock album by lead guitarist of the award winning band Syzygy, Carl Baldassarre. Earlier in 2016, he was commissioned to write ten Great American Songbook arrangements for the Merling Trio, which will culminate in an album to be released in 2018. Knific has performed internationally with The Western Jazz Quartet, and also worked with jazz masters such as Joe Lovano, Miguel Zenón, and Kevin Mahogany. In 2015 Knific was selected to participate Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. directed by Jason Moran. His own debut jazz album will be released in winter 2018.
Knific Resides in Chicago, where he performs with synth-pop quintet IVERSON.
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
‘Harper’ is the story of a stranded time-traveller named Jane Doe, who is searching for her missing husband.
Set in present day Virginia, near the Shenandoah Valley off the Appalachian Trail, Jane takes refuge at a hiker haven. But her host, Jim Boulders - a Trail Angel - has begun to notice the strange broadcasts she sends at night and the mysterious device she moves from hiding spot to hiding spot. Hesitant to trust anyone with her secret, Jane denies accusation of being anything other than a discouraged outdoorswoman. But when an unexpected visitor comes knocking on the front door, Jane must act fast and smart to prevent the consequences of her secret from harming her host.
One of the missions of this piece is to ground a relatable and in-depth character within the genre of science fiction. Jane Doe is a character that people should want to emulate - she's independent, she's intelligent, and she's careful about who she chooses to trust.
It's also important to our team to represent filmmakers in Michigan by producing well told, quality cinema.
Themes:
The prominent themes of this project are:
This is a story about a woman who is trying to save her husband.
This is a story about a woman who regains the ability to trust.
This is a story about a woman who is doing everything she can we what she is given.
This is a story that we feel is important to tell RIGHT NOW because it centers
around a woman who is from a future not too far off from our own. She has
made a major technological breakthrough that has changed the world as we
know it. The larger goal of this piece is to provide our audience with an
encouraging reminder that human beings are capable of great things.
Project History:
In August of 2018, we launched a campaign on Seed&Spark to raise funding for Production on ‘Harper.’ In the final hours of the campaign, we surpassed the 80% mark and were green-lit to receive funding. That funding allowed us to rent equipment, feed and pay our crew and talent, and buy all props and wardrobe items for the shoot.
The film is now edited and going through color grading and VFX work.
The funding we are campaigning for now is primarily for sound design and
musical scoring. When this film is finished, it's most immediate destination will be to go to film festivals. Film festivals are important because not only is it the only way to see the film (unless you've got your invite to the private screening), but it's also an opportunity to see how the project resonates in the professional world. But, film festivals cost money to submit to. And if we are accepted, the costs of attending them can quickly add up.
This campaign is primarily to raise funding to exhibit 'Harper' through film festivals.
This film was shot in Ann Arbor, MI in Ocotober of 2018.
Director's Statement
I vividly remember walking off the plane when I visited Nepal in 2015 and knowing that, although I was on the same planet, I was in an entirely different world. I was cut off from everyone and everything I knew. I remember the acute feeling of distance - of knowing just how far away I was from the comfort of familiarity. I felt alone. I felt scared. I felt excited. I even felt a little bit romantic. Much is similar for our hero. Perhaps the most mysterious aspect of Harper is how incredibly relatable she is, just under uncommon circumstances. Although we will be touching on elements of science fiction and new technology, it is important to me that throughout all of this story, we see Harper is a human being.
Harper’s presence and the mystery that surrounds her is what draws me most to this story. There are several opportunities to observe her when she is alone and I like that she has an agenda that she reserves. There are moments of isolation when Harper is most real and not afraid to show her vulnerable side. She's not our typical hero. While she has a clear goal to find her husband, her current situation finds her stranded. These opportunities when Harper is alone give us a lot of freedom to show the depth of her frustrating situation.
Let's bring Harper home!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Permissions
Costs $1,000
These fees cover rights usage for some images/audio we need to use.
Finishing Sound Costs
Costs $1,000
These costs will secure our personnel for sound design and musical scoring.
Post Production Hard Drive
Costs $150
This funding allows us to purchase a hard drive to work from during editing.
Film Festival Submission Fees
Costs $2,800
Costs that are associated with festival submissions fees as well as attending festivals.
About This Team
Writer/Producer/Director
Bradley Michael
Bradley Michael was born and raised in Michigan's Detroit area. He has long been a lover of film and theatre, graduating from Grand Valley State University in 2012 with B.S in Fiction Filmmaking. Since graduating, Bradley has worked in the camera department of feature films Papou and Horse Camp, starring Dean Cain. Bradley's full length play So Long Until Tomorrow was produced in 2014 at The AKT Theatre Project in Wyandotte, MI.
Bradley's most recent work includes a feature length documentary exploring the artistic influences on Michigan towns and cities - 'The Artist Collective Project: Mitten.' He also wrote and produced 'Windows,' a short film that follows a woman who observes, admires and obesses over the lives of her neighbors.
Bradley is also an avid traveller, having visited Australia, Japan, Nepal, Utah's Zion area, and is currently preparing to hike the Colorado Trail in the summer of 2019.
He currently resides in Farmington Hills, MI.
Producer
Melissa Ramsey
Melissa has spent the last several years working behind the scenes in the film industry. As a kid, she always had her nose in a book, from the classic H. G. Wells "The Time Machine" to Star Wars novels. Her love of movies came later with no less enthusiasm.
As a producer on Harper, she wants to give her audiences the same thrills and excitement as the generations of filmmakers before her.
Director of Photography
Matthew von Dayton
Matt straddles the line between artist and technician, focusing on creating unique imagery in effort to maintain a diverse creative workload from feature films and music videos to commercials and experimental video art.
He works primarily as producer, director of photography, and editor for numerous film projects while pursuing various endeavors in other art forms.
Editor
Andrew Wecht
A 2015 Film & Television/Sound Design graduate from the Savannah College of Art and Design, Andrew is constantly practicing the art of film and expanding his horizons through a lifelong and joyful pursuit of self-betterment. He has edited music videos, commercial projects for tv, and short films featured at numerous film festivals—most notably Orlando Film Festival, CayFilm, Savannah Film Festival, and Richmond International Film Festival.
He looks forward to working closely with the team to bring Harper to life!
Composer
Gene Knific
Pianist, composer, and arranger Gene Knific has won four ASCAP Young Jazz Composers awards and 8 Down Beat Magazine awards for his performances and compositions in jazz and contemporary categories. An active composer, Knific had his work Relapse performed and recorded by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in 2016 and his cello concerto premiered in fall of 2017 at the University of Oklahoma. Knific’s work as an arranger has brought him to write for multiple orchestral recording sessions at Abbey Road Studios in London, where he is currently helping to oversee a large scale progressive rock album by lead guitarist of the award winning band Syzygy, Carl Baldassarre. Earlier in 2016, he was commissioned to write ten Great American Songbook arrangements for the Merling Trio, which will culminate in an album to be released in 2018. Knific has performed internationally with The Western Jazz Quartet, and also worked with jazz masters such as Joe Lovano, Miguel Zenón, and Kevin Mahogany. In 2015 Knific was selected to participate Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. directed by Jason Moran. His own debut jazz album will be released in winter 2018.
Knific Resides in Chicago, where he performs with synth-pop quintet IVERSON.