Hear Me Out
New York City, New York | Film Short
Horror, Comedy
A young woman brings her boyfriend to dinner to introduce him to her roommates. The catch? He’s undead. "Hear Me Out" is a horror comedy about toxic relationships, female friendships, and what to do when you've accidentally invited a bloodthirsty monster into your home.
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This campaign raised $3,410 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
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A young woman brings her boyfriend to dinner to introduce him to her roommates. The catch? He’s undead. "Hear Me Out" is a horror comedy about toxic relationships, female friendships, and what to do when you've accidentally invited a bloodthirsty monster into your home.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Have you ever sought out a relationship because you felt that it was better to be with someone, anyone, than to be alone? Have you ever ignored glaring red flags for the sake of having a companion? Have you watched your friends do the same thing and wanted to shake them out of it? Have you ever had to sit through an awkward dinner with your friend’s weird and off-putting significant other? "Hear Me Out" is the film for you.
DIRECTOR
Hi! I’m Sophia Di Giovanni, a junior studying Film & Television at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. I’ve had a passion for filmmaking for almost a decade and am currently on a post-production track studying editing. I love horror, I love comedy, and I love explorations of sexuality and modern relationship dynamics, especially as a young woman in college in New York City. Carly and I have been working together for months to create a story that is fun, flashy, and thematically relevant. I am so excited to bring this story to the screen!
SUMMARY
Roommates JJ and SKYE prepare a nice dinner for their third roommate KRIS and her new boyfriend, hoping to make a good impression. When Kris arrives with her newfound love CHASE, JJ and Skye realize quickly that Chase is actually a zombie - a shuffling, reanimated corpse who only wants to eat Kris. At first they ignore his bloodlust to be polite, especially when Kris seems so in love. But when Chase finally becomes dangerous, the three roommates must band together to save their own lives.
CHARACTERS
KRIS: Our protagonist! Kris is a bubbly young woman and serial monogamist with an inability to stay single. She is a sensitive and emotional extrovert doing her best to make the most out of her twenties in New York City. Kris is always looking for love but hasn’t had very good luck so far. She cares deeply about her loved ones, sometimes at the expense of her own well-being - such as her refusal to accept that her boyfriend is a zombie out for her blood.
JJ: Kris’s roommate. JJ is a femme lesbian and a people pleaser to her core. She’s good at pretty much everything and dresses to impress - and for this dinner party, she’s gone all out to make Kris feel supported and Chase feel welcome. Even when she realizes her friend and roomie is dating someone toxic, she’s willing to ignore his antics as long as no one gets hurt.
SKYE: Kris’s other roommate. Skye is much more masculine, to the point of having her own emotional support axe at her side. She’s caring, protective, and very observant, if a little too honest at times. Skye’s skeptical of all of Kris’s boyfriends - and never gets along with them very well - but she’ll be polite for Kris’s sake.
CHASE: Kris’s new boyfriend and the local reanimated corpse. Chase has been rotting for who knows how long but still manages to appeal to the ladies. He’s always hungry and not very good at reading social cues. He’s no Shakespeare, only communicating through lots of grunting and general bloodlust.
INSPIRATION
We were inspired by 21st century horror comedies, romantic or not, such as Lisa Frankenstein, Jennifer’s Body, Warm Bodies, and Bodies Bodies Bodies. We want to have a vibrant and colorful look to match the campy, bloody, Gen Z genre! We also plan to shoot at night to get the most out of the darkness and the ability to create stylized lighting. Our zombie boyfriend character, Chase, will be decked out in dead and bloody makeup to really sell the undead look. And, of course, the production design team will create a lush, lived-in background to make the film seem both realistic and spooky.
We have a great team on this project with a lot of technical know-how in all areas of filmmaking. We’re renting camera equipment to help us with handheld and close-up shots to create movement and intrigue. We have a professional SFX makeup artist to work on our actors’ looks. After we shoot, our post-production team will jump into action to make the cuts snappy, the colors bright, the music exciting, and the sound effects to be properly squelchy. There are a lot of wonderful people working on this film - it takes a village! - and we are all super motivated to get this project off the ground.
Our Plan:
We will be shooting this film in mid-March of 2025 and aim to complete it during summer 2025! The money raised goes to camera equipment, food for cast and crew, production design, SFX makeup, prop rental, and all sorts of miscellaneous expenses from batteries to coffee to get us through those long night shoots. We need a minimum of $2500 to get this film produced! Our stretch goal is $3000, which will allow us to submit to festivals and ensure the film looks as good as it can possibly be. Please share the campaign link and follow us on Instagram at @hearmeoutshort to keep updated on our progress!
[Stills from: Lisa Frankenstein (2024), The Love Witch (2016), Train to Busan (2016), Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022), Last Night In Soho (2021), Hannibal (2013), I Saw The TV Glow (2024), Jennifer's Body (2009)]
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Equipment Rental
Costs $300
To make sure our crew has everything they need to make picture + sound the highest quality possible!
Craft Services
Costs $600
To keep our cast and crew fed and happy!
Production Design
Costs $500
To craft a beautiful environment that enhances the storytelling!
Special Effects
Costs $800
To ensure that all practical effects are done professionally and safely alongside as visually appealing as possible!
Transportation
Costs $300
To transport our cast, crew, and equipment where they need to be!
Insurance
Costs $500
To make sure that all cast, crew, and equipment are kept safe and to prepare for anything that might go awry!
Share this update!
About This Team
SOPHIA DI GIOVANNI
Director
Sophia Di Giovanni is a junior at NYU majoring in Film & Television. She has had a passion for campy horror comedy ever since being shown Young Frankenstein at an unusually young age. She is on a post-production track at NYU and has edited numerous short films, both student and independent, as well as currently interning with independent filmmaker Misha Calvert. She is excited to tackle directing for this ambitious project.
CARLY BURTON
Writer
Carly Burton is currently a junior at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, studying Film & Television. Co-head of the Editorial department with Fusion Film Festival and currently interning with the International Emmys, she has a strong interest in comedic writing and storytelling - she's also currently showrunning her own pilot. She's incredibly excited to be a part of Hear Me Out.
KATE FUGITT
Producer
Kate Fugitt is an award-winning producer and editor. She is a junior at NYU majoring in Film & Television with minors in Producing and BEMT. This fall, she interned with ScreenCrush as an editor and works as a TA for the Martin Scorsese Virtual Production Center. She's beyond excited to be a part of Hear Me Out!
DANNY LEE
Producer
Danny Lee is an NYC-based director and editor who is a current junior at NYU Tisch studying Film & Television. He has interned for NBCUniversal last summer, working as an assistant editor for the Bravo Digital team, and most recently directed an NYU Intermediate film during the fall. He is excited to join the Hear Me Out team and can't wait to help bring this film to life.
ELLA BRINCKERHOFF
Director of Photography
Ella is a Director of Photography in her Junior year at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, majoring in Film & Television. She has a focus in Cinematography, determined to portray a variety of visually compelling narratives for all types of storytelling, with an emphasis in natural and soft tones and elements. She has had her past work featured in many local and national film festivals, and works as an On-Set Production Intern at Manhattan Place Entertainment.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Have you ever sought out a relationship because you felt that it was better to be with someone, anyone, than to be alone? Have you ever ignored glaring red flags for the sake of having a companion? Have you watched your friends do the same thing and wanted to shake them out of it? Have you ever had to sit through an awkward dinner with your friend’s weird and off-putting significant other? "Hear Me Out" is the film for you.
DIRECTOR
Hi! I’m Sophia Di Giovanni, a junior studying Film & Television at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. I’ve had a passion for filmmaking for almost a decade and am currently on a post-production track studying editing. I love horror, I love comedy, and I love explorations of sexuality and modern relationship dynamics, especially as a young woman in college in New York City. Carly and I have been working together for months to create a story that is fun, flashy, and thematically relevant. I am so excited to bring this story to the screen!
SUMMARY
Roommates JJ and SKYE prepare a nice dinner for their third roommate KRIS and her new boyfriend, hoping to make a good impression. When Kris arrives with her newfound love CHASE, JJ and Skye realize quickly that Chase is actually a zombie - a shuffling, reanimated corpse who only wants to eat Kris. At first they ignore his bloodlust to be polite, especially when Kris seems so in love. But when Chase finally becomes dangerous, the three roommates must band together to save their own lives.
CHARACTERS
KRIS: Our protagonist! Kris is a bubbly young woman and serial monogamist with an inability to stay single. She is a sensitive and emotional extrovert doing her best to make the most out of her twenties in New York City. Kris is always looking for love but hasn’t had very good luck so far. She cares deeply about her loved ones, sometimes at the expense of her own well-being - such as her refusal to accept that her boyfriend is a zombie out for her blood.
JJ: Kris’s roommate. JJ is a femme lesbian and a people pleaser to her core. She’s good at pretty much everything and dresses to impress - and for this dinner party, she’s gone all out to make Kris feel supported and Chase feel welcome. Even when she realizes her friend and roomie is dating someone toxic, she’s willing to ignore his antics as long as no one gets hurt.
SKYE: Kris’s other roommate. Skye is much more masculine, to the point of having her own emotional support axe at her side. She’s caring, protective, and very observant, if a little too honest at times. Skye’s skeptical of all of Kris’s boyfriends - and never gets along with them very well - but she’ll be polite for Kris’s sake.
CHASE: Kris’s new boyfriend and the local reanimated corpse. Chase has been rotting for who knows how long but still manages to appeal to the ladies. He’s always hungry and not very good at reading social cues. He’s no Shakespeare, only communicating through lots of grunting and general bloodlust.
INSPIRATION
We were inspired by 21st century horror comedies, romantic or not, such as Lisa Frankenstein, Jennifer’s Body, Warm Bodies, and Bodies Bodies Bodies. We want to have a vibrant and colorful look to match the campy, bloody, Gen Z genre! We also plan to shoot at night to get the most out of the darkness and the ability to create stylized lighting. Our zombie boyfriend character, Chase, will be decked out in dead and bloody makeup to really sell the undead look. And, of course, the production design team will create a lush, lived-in background to make the film seem both realistic and spooky.
We have a great team on this project with a lot of technical know-how in all areas of filmmaking. We’re renting camera equipment to help us with handheld and close-up shots to create movement and intrigue. We have a professional SFX makeup artist to work on our actors’ looks. After we shoot, our post-production team will jump into action to make the cuts snappy, the colors bright, the music exciting, and the sound effects to be properly squelchy. There are a lot of wonderful people working on this film - it takes a village! - and we are all super motivated to get this project off the ground.
Our Plan:
We will be shooting this film in mid-March of 2025 and aim to complete it during summer 2025! The money raised goes to camera equipment, food for cast and crew, production design, SFX makeup, prop rental, and all sorts of miscellaneous expenses from batteries to coffee to get us through those long night shoots. We need a minimum of $2500 to get this film produced! Our stretch goal is $3000, which will allow us to submit to festivals and ensure the film looks as good as it can possibly be. Please share the campaign link and follow us on Instagram at @hearmeoutshort to keep updated on our progress!
[Stills from: Lisa Frankenstein (2024), The Love Witch (2016), Train to Busan (2016), Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022), Last Night In Soho (2021), Hannibal (2013), I Saw The TV Glow (2024), Jennifer's Body (2009)]
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Equipment Rental
Costs $300
To make sure our crew has everything they need to make picture + sound the highest quality possible!
Craft Services
Costs $600
To keep our cast and crew fed and happy!
Production Design
Costs $500
To craft a beautiful environment that enhances the storytelling!
Special Effects
Costs $800
To ensure that all practical effects are done professionally and safely alongside as visually appealing as possible!
Transportation
Costs $300
To transport our cast, crew, and equipment where they need to be!
Insurance
Costs $500
To make sure that all cast, crew, and equipment are kept safe and to prepare for anything that might go awry!
Share this update!
About This Team
SOPHIA DI GIOVANNI
Director
Sophia Di Giovanni is a junior at NYU majoring in Film & Television. She has had a passion for campy horror comedy ever since being shown Young Frankenstein at an unusually young age. She is on a post-production track at NYU and has edited numerous short films, both student and independent, as well as currently interning with independent filmmaker Misha Calvert. She is excited to tackle directing for this ambitious project.
CARLY BURTON
Writer
Carly Burton is currently a junior at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, studying Film & Television. Co-head of the Editorial department with Fusion Film Festival and currently interning with the International Emmys, she has a strong interest in comedic writing and storytelling - she's also currently showrunning her own pilot. She's incredibly excited to be a part of Hear Me Out.
KATE FUGITT
Producer
Kate Fugitt is an award-winning producer and editor. She is a junior at NYU majoring in Film & Television with minors in Producing and BEMT. This fall, she interned with ScreenCrush as an editor and works as a TA for the Martin Scorsese Virtual Production Center. She's beyond excited to be a part of Hear Me Out!
DANNY LEE
Producer
Danny Lee is an NYC-based director and editor who is a current junior at NYU Tisch studying Film & Television. He has interned for NBCUniversal last summer, working as an assistant editor for the Bravo Digital team, and most recently directed an NYU Intermediate film during the fall. He is excited to join the Hear Me Out team and can't wait to help bring this film to life.
ELLA BRINCKERHOFF
Director of Photography
Ella is a Director of Photography in her Junior year at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, majoring in Film & Television. She has a focus in Cinematography, determined to portray a variety of visually compelling narratives for all types of storytelling, with an emphasis in natural and soft tones and elements. She has had her past work featured in many local and national film festivals, and works as an On-Set Production Intern at Manhattan Place Entertainment.