Fortified Films

Chicago, Illinois | Film Feature

Comedy

Jake VanKersen

1 Campaigns | Illinois, United States

Green Light

This campaign raised $5,157 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.

78 supporters | followers

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After canceling plans with friends, Hector & Penny begin a game of role-play that threatens to undo their relationship. Fortified celebrates open communication, no matter how weird it gets.

About The Project

  • The Story
  • Wishlist
  • Updates
  • The Team
  • Community

Mission Statement

The four of us love movies. That's hardly unique. What is unique is the friendship forged by this shared love of movies. We each bring a different perspective to the art of filmmaking. This foundation creates a dynamic creative process to make great movies – for us and for you.

The Story

There are stories about the beginning of relationships and stories about the end of relationships. This is a story about the weird that it takes to make a relationship work.

Why Are We Making This Film?

The script. Ross wrote something that is funny, honest, and emotionally grounded. It also has two characters and one location. In short, the quality and scope are perfect. We can get this done. 

Hector (Ross Compton) is totally content with his place in life. 

Plus, we know Ross. We know how to bring his sensibilities to the screen. And if we don't, he can tell us and we'll all still be friends at the end of the day. We hope.

Where Are We At?

We are deep into pre-production! We have our script, our actors, our director, and a couple of producers. We also have a truckload of excitement about finally getting this story up and running! 

Penny (Stevie Shale) has aspirations but feels held back by both internal struggles and external realities.

We also made a short film version of this feature. Click on the photo below to view the short.

How Can I Help?

Your pledge will help us raise money for camera equipment, food for the crew, props, and payment for the actors, sound designer, and editor. You'll literally be helping us make it!

Funds will also go to festival submissions and potential distributors, which will help us get the movie seen once it’s done! Our ultimate goal is to get it released, either through a streaming service or even a theatrical release. And of course, with a $25 donation or higher, you’ll get a digital copy of the film. You’d be on the ground floor with us on this project. It will be yours too! 

Beyond that, we’d be more than grateful if you could share the link to this campaing with friends, family, or anyone you think may be interested in this story. Follow our Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok pages for updates on the film's progress and live chats with guests and the filmmakers. And share those too! Any and all eyes you send our way helps make Fortified a reality.

Wishlist

Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.

Cash Pledge

Costs $0

Cinematographer, Sound, Production Assistants, Etc.

Costs $3,000

We are going to need a crew to help us make this film and we would like to pay them.

Actors

Costs $1,000

Actors need to pay their rent

Camera and Equipment

Costs $1,000

Can't make a film without a camera, which we will need to rent.

About This Team

Ross Compton - Writer, Producer

Ross has been a Chicago-based writer, actor, and producer for over a decade, WHICH IS NUTS. Formally a member of the iO, CIC, and Under The Gun Theaters, he is currently an ensemble member at Theatre Above the Law in Rogers Park, which produced both of his full length plays: Amicable in the summer of 2019 and Henchpeople in the summer of 2021. 


In addition to writing plays, he’s written several film sketches and short films, including Coffee In Limbo, which he directed, and Lagging, which he acted in. He has also appeared on stage in plays like Constellations with TATL and Upon This Shore with Idle Muse, and on camera in projects such as the viral independent horror film Rorschach and the upcoming independent sitcom Camp Lake. And, of course, a commercial for Buddig lunch meat. 


He’d like to thank Bob Zemecksis’ Who Framed Roger Rabbit for giving him his first taste of magical realism, Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead for solidifying for him the importance of music in film and that nothing needs to be just one genre, Miranda July’s The Future for showing him that relationship stories can be unconventional, and most recently the Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All At Once for encapsulating all the facets he’s just written about. 

Jake VanKersen - Director, Producer

The day after he turned 16 Jake got into the movie business…as an usher at Cinema Carousel in Muskegon, MI. Getting this job was his first professional goal as he spent a solid year dreaming about it. He shot his first short film, “Refund” at the age of 18 with his friends on a camcorder and edited it with two VCRs. It screened at the inaugural Muskegon Film Festival.

Later, Jake went to film school at Columbia College Chicago while working at Ed Debevic’s and performing in the sketch comedy group “Ed’s After Dark.” After graduation he went to work at a local production studio and continued to make short films, direct music videos, and helped produced a web series called “Hank Frisco: Galaxy Defender” with Quicklips Productions. Professionally, he has been a video producer for over a decade working on interviews, short documentaries, webinars, and more. 


Like many kids that grew up in the 1980’s Jake’s love for cinema was ignited by the films of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. 

Scott Cupper - Producer

A veteran of Chicago storefront theater since 2004, he was a company member with Strange Tree Group. His time with them comprises his most proud accomplishments including The Dastardly Ficus, the dual role of Cristroff/Capt. Mandy in The Mysterious Elephant, Semyon Semyonovich in Goodbye Cruel World, Shakespeare’s King Phycus and two successful runs of The Three Faces of Dr. Crippen as part of both Steppenwolf Garage Rep and the New York Fringe Fest. He credits his love of movies with E.T. being his first theater-going experience in its original run.

Tyler Core - Producer

Actor, photographer, cinematographer, web design, and more! There is quite simply nothing that Tyler Core can't do. The heights of his creativity is only matched by his kindness and enthusiasm for supporting other artists. 

 

Current Team

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