Kinetic
New York City, New York | Film Short
Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Two brothers try to save their family business by literally catching lightning in a bottle!
Kinetic
New York City, New York | Film Short
Sci-Fi, Fantasy
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $24,075 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
56 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Two brothers try to save their family business by literally catching lightning in a bottle!
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Brothers Frank and Benji Miles take over the family auto shop and must continue to successfully run it by using the secret for magically repairing automobiles; a literal bolt of lightning in a bottle their dad caught long ago! But, on the day of their most lucrative repair yet, the siblings' bickering causes them to accidentally release the lightning. Now, they must learn to work together to do the impossible in hopes of recapturing the spark of their family’s success.
The figure of speech, "...like catching lightning in a bottle" means to accomplish a nearly impossible task; to trap something elusive or fleeting. Often, the term is used to explain the difficulty of accomplishing something and originates from Benjamin Franklin's famous kite experiment in which he tried to harness the power of lightning into a Leyden jar.
Although he didn't exactly accomplish that, he was able to prove the connection between lightning and electricity among other things. Nevertheless, his idea does leave you thinking:
"What if he had somehow caught the lightning in that bottle?"
This inherently cinematic image captured my imagination and inspired me to turn it into a movie. One that could have fun with the concept of attempting something so wild by telling a story that expands upon the idiom and turns it into something personal an audience could connect with.
"Kinetic" speaks to the same theme of achievement/success that the idiom alludes to but also recontextualizes it within the lightning-like chaotic dynamics of a family. Ones that can feel impossible to deal with like Frank and Benji's relationship as bickering brothers, but are crucial to hone if they are to learn the true meaning of a "family business." This is what grounds the movie's high concept in true and honest characters.
Kinetic's visual style is inspired by many of the live-action films of my childhood which play on similar subject matter such as Zathura, Speed Racer, and Back to the Future. The aim is to combine the style of these movies with the vibrant, hyperbolic feeling of Pixar films to create a unique and entertaining experience with a lot of heart.
The most common question we get when we tell people about "Kinetic" is: "How are you going to do the special effects for the lightning?" The funny thing is special effects are only one of the many intricate departments we'll have to navigate when making the movie.
Any film, even a short film, requires a great deal of time and a large crew of people to get right. Our ask of $24,000 will properly cover all the important areas of production. The main ones being:
- Compensation for our incredible cast and crew
- Food & Catering
- Securing our Auto Shop location
- Production Design
- Equipment Rentals
- Transportation
- COVID Safety
*You can learn more about how our budget is broken down under the "WISHLIST" tab above.
We've got a lot of great rewards for your support!
Everything from a thank you in the credits to digital downloads of the film and score, props and costumes from the film, exclusive movie merch, screenings, events, and more! There are even opportunities for you to become a producer on the film so you can join our team in every step of the process.
*Check out the side of our page to view the rewards in detail.
FOLLOW our campaign! Growing followers unlocks access to products, services, and festival fee waivers courtesy of Seed & Spark.
You can find us on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter @kineticmovie
SHARE our campaign via social media or email! Spreading the word with your network will help us build an audience and bring this project to life! Send this campaign out to someone you know. Text, email, or anything you can do to get our film out there is a major help.
Here are some examples you can copy and paste:
Help @thecarlosmaldonado and his filmmaking team by supporting his awesome movie "Kinetic" about two brothers who try to literally catch lightning in a bottle! Join them on @seedandspark: bit.lyhttps://bit.ly/3wLpDLq
So excited to watch "Kinetic" directed by @thecarlosmaldonado. Join him and his team on @seedandspark to help get this movie made! https://bit.ly/3wLpDLq
The team sincerely thanks you for your contribution! We are so excited to share this film with the world.
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
The Auto Shop
Costs $3,500
Welcome to “Kinetic Motors.” Help us pay our location owner for his shop.
Insurance
Costs $1,100
Keeping our team safe and protected on set, especially from that lightning!
Food & Catering
Costs $1,350
Good food = a happy crew! This amount covers the cost of 3 meals a day per person for 3 shoot days.
Transportation
Costs $2,500
To get from place A to B.
Special Effects
Costs $1,700
Wait, you mean to tell me the lightning isn’t real?!
Production Design
Costs $3,500
So that we can try and convince you we own and operate the auto shop! ;)
Lighting
Costs $1,000
We'll be getting alllll the good angles!
Camera
Costs $2,500
A little thing we need to shoot the movie with.
Crew
Costs $4,650
To compensate that shockingly talented crew we told you about!
Cast
Costs $1,700
To compensate our cast for their performances.
PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
Costs $500
Help us make sure everyone on our set stays healthy!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Carlos Maldonado, Writer/Director
Carlos is an NYC-based filmmaker. He’s been making movies since realizing he could stage his action figures in front of a camera to tell stories. Determined to produce his own live-action work, Carlos attended NYU where he majored in Film Producing w/ a minor in Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology. Now with several narrative shorts under his belt, he is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Finance at CUNY Baruch to become the adept producer his future work requires. Carlos has worked as a director’s assistant at A+E Networks, an Artist Relations Coordinator for The Tribeca Film Festival, and a cinematographer for NYC & LA's leading demo reel production company, REELARC.
Madeleine Schumacher, Producer
Madeleine is an NYC-based film producer and distributor. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Madeleine has produced dozens of short films, music videos and commercials, including the Wasserman award-winning short film “Champions.” Madeleine continues to return to Tisch to lecture and educate students and alumni on her work producing, financing and distributing independent films. Madeleine is also the Operations Manager at distribution company Giant Pictures and is the co-founder of Arachnid Films which produced the feature film THE LAST THING MARY SAW distributed by AMC Network's Shudder.
Ben Heintz, Unit Production Manager
Ben Heintz graduated from NYU Tisch’s film production major in 2020. He has since crewed on award-winning television shows such as HBO’s "Mare of Easttown" and Apple TV’s "Servant." He is excited and privileged to work alongside Kinetic’s talented filmmaking team.
Daniel Muller, Director of Photography
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Daniel is a long-time friend and collaborator of Carlos and is incredibly excited to be reunited with his good friend on another wonderful project of his. Dan has worked at various production companies and rental houses, but his heart lies as a Director of Photography. Dan’s main focus is how light plays within a given narrative and loves being challenged with something new!
Annie Barson, Casting Director
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Annie is a Philadelphia-based casting assistant and actress who has starred in several short films and productions. She studied Film and Media Studies at NYU and graduated in 2020. Currently, she serves as Casting Assistant for JS Casting Inc, working in reality television. She is excited to be casting for "Kinetic" and to work alongside such a wonderful team!
Ainsley Roh, Production Designer
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Ainsley Roh is a director, production designer, and 1st AD, currently finishing up her BFA in Film and Television with minors in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies and Food Studies. She is currently working as an art department PA on Showtime’s "Let The Right One In" and co-producing/designing an animated series. Ainsley is incredibly passionate about media and art, and their effect on the public and individuals; she is excited to be a part of the team bringing "Kinetic" to life. Currently based in New York City, she also has roots in Vermont and the Bay Area in California.
Gawen Head-Allain, Composer
Gawen Head-Allain is a composer and producer whose works fall between the cracks of genre and aesthetic in electronic music and film scoring. With a background in Commercial composing as well as EDM production supported by a backbone of world-influenced rhythms with a cinematic flair, his musical bodies of work have been expertly established. Allain’s various projects have since garnered commercial recognition and industry respect. In the past year alone, his tracks such as "Fallacy" and “Kaleidoscope” were featured in national campaigns for Apple, and the HBO MAX show “The Hype” respectively as well as Nintendo and many more.
John Nick Bartley, Assistant Director
Is an award-winning Brooklyn-based filmmaker. A Las Vegas transplant, John moved to NYC after college to expand his horizons in film. Since the move to Brooklyn four years ago, John has been on countless commercial, narrative, and TV productions as an AC. John currently works as a freelance AC as well as an Editor for music videos, commercials/promos, documentaries, and narratives.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Brothers Frank and Benji Miles take over the family auto shop and must continue to successfully run it by using the secret for magically repairing automobiles; a literal bolt of lightning in a bottle their dad caught long ago! But, on the day of their most lucrative repair yet, the siblings' bickering causes them to accidentally release the lightning. Now, they must learn to work together to do the impossible in hopes of recapturing the spark of their family’s success.
The figure of speech, "...like catching lightning in a bottle" means to accomplish a nearly impossible task; to trap something elusive or fleeting. Often, the term is used to explain the difficulty of accomplishing something and originates from Benjamin Franklin's famous kite experiment in which he tried to harness the power of lightning into a Leyden jar.
Although he didn't exactly accomplish that, he was able to prove the connection between lightning and electricity among other things. Nevertheless, his idea does leave you thinking:
"What if he had somehow caught the lightning in that bottle?"
This inherently cinematic image captured my imagination and inspired me to turn it into a movie. One that could have fun with the concept of attempting something so wild by telling a story that expands upon the idiom and turns it into something personal an audience could connect with.
"Kinetic" speaks to the same theme of achievement/success that the idiom alludes to but also recontextualizes it within the lightning-like chaotic dynamics of a family. Ones that can feel impossible to deal with like Frank and Benji's relationship as bickering brothers, but are crucial to hone if they are to learn the true meaning of a "family business." This is what grounds the movie's high concept in true and honest characters.
Kinetic's visual style is inspired by many of the live-action films of my childhood which play on similar subject matter such as Zathura, Speed Racer, and Back to the Future. The aim is to combine the style of these movies with the vibrant, hyperbolic feeling of Pixar films to create a unique and entertaining experience with a lot of heart.
The most common question we get when we tell people about "Kinetic" is: "How are you going to do the special effects for the lightning?" The funny thing is special effects are only one of the many intricate departments we'll have to navigate when making the movie.
Any film, even a short film, requires a great deal of time and a large crew of people to get right. Our ask of $24,000 will properly cover all the important areas of production. The main ones being:
- Compensation for our incredible cast and crew
- Food & Catering
- Securing our Auto Shop location
- Production Design
- Equipment Rentals
- Transportation
- COVID Safety
*You can learn more about how our budget is broken down under the "WISHLIST" tab above.
We've got a lot of great rewards for your support!
Everything from a thank you in the credits to digital downloads of the film and score, props and costumes from the film, exclusive movie merch, screenings, events, and more! There are even opportunities for you to become a producer on the film so you can join our team in every step of the process.
*Check out the side of our page to view the rewards in detail.
FOLLOW our campaign! Growing followers unlocks access to products, services, and festival fee waivers courtesy of Seed & Spark.
You can find us on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter @kineticmovie
SHARE our campaign via social media or email! Spreading the word with your network will help us build an audience and bring this project to life! Send this campaign out to someone you know. Text, email, or anything you can do to get our film out there is a major help.
Here are some examples you can copy and paste:
Help @thecarlosmaldonado and his filmmaking team by supporting his awesome movie "Kinetic" about two brothers who try to literally catch lightning in a bottle! Join them on @seedandspark: bit.lyhttps://bit.ly/3wLpDLq
So excited to watch "Kinetic" directed by @thecarlosmaldonado. Join him and his team on @seedandspark to help get this movie made! https://bit.ly/3wLpDLq
The team sincerely thanks you for your contribution! We are so excited to share this film with the world.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
The Auto Shop
Costs $3,500
Welcome to “Kinetic Motors.” Help us pay our location owner for his shop.
Insurance
Costs $1,100
Keeping our team safe and protected on set, especially from that lightning!
Food & Catering
Costs $1,350
Good food = a happy crew! This amount covers the cost of 3 meals a day per person for 3 shoot days.
Transportation
Costs $2,500
To get from place A to B.
Special Effects
Costs $1,700
Wait, you mean to tell me the lightning isn’t real?!
Production Design
Costs $3,500
So that we can try and convince you we own and operate the auto shop! ;)
Lighting
Costs $1,000
We'll be getting alllll the good angles!
Camera
Costs $2,500
A little thing we need to shoot the movie with.
Crew
Costs $4,650
To compensate that shockingly talented crew we told you about!
Cast
Costs $1,700
To compensate our cast for their performances.
PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
Costs $500
Help us make sure everyone on our set stays healthy!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Carlos Maldonado, Writer/Director
Carlos is an NYC-based filmmaker. He’s been making movies since realizing he could stage his action figures in front of a camera to tell stories. Determined to produce his own live-action work, Carlos attended NYU where he majored in Film Producing w/ a minor in Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology. Now with several narrative shorts under his belt, he is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Finance at CUNY Baruch to become the adept producer his future work requires. Carlos has worked as a director’s assistant at A+E Networks, an Artist Relations Coordinator for The Tribeca Film Festival, and a cinematographer for NYC & LA's leading demo reel production company, REELARC.
Madeleine Schumacher, Producer
Madeleine is an NYC-based film producer and distributor. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Madeleine has produced dozens of short films, music videos and commercials, including the Wasserman award-winning short film “Champions.” Madeleine continues to return to Tisch to lecture and educate students and alumni on her work producing, financing and distributing independent films. Madeleine is also the Operations Manager at distribution company Giant Pictures and is the co-founder of Arachnid Films which produced the feature film THE LAST THING MARY SAW distributed by AMC Network's Shudder.
Ben Heintz, Unit Production Manager
Ben Heintz graduated from NYU Tisch’s film production major in 2020. He has since crewed on award-winning television shows such as HBO’s "Mare of Easttown" and Apple TV’s "Servant." He is excited and privileged to work alongside Kinetic’s talented filmmaking team.
Daniel Muller, Director of Photography
Daniel is a long-time friend and collaborator of Carlos and is incredibly excited to be reunited with his good friend on another wonderful project of his. Dan has worked at various production companies and rental houses, but his heart lies as a Director of Photography. Dan’s main focus is how light plays within a given narrative and loves being challenged with something new!
Annie Barson, Casting Director
Annie is a Philadelphia-based casting assistant and actress who has starred in several short films and productions. She studied Film and Media Studies at NYU and graduated in 2020. Currently, she serves as Casting Assistant for JS Casting Inc, working in reality television. She is excited to be casting for "Kinetic" and to work alongside such a wonderful team!
Ainsley Roh, Production Designer
Ainsley Roh is a director, production designer, and 1st AD, currently finishing up her BFA in Film and Television with minors in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies and Food Studies. She is currently working as an art department PA on Showtime’s "Let The Right One In" and co-producing/designing an animated series. Ainsley is incredibly passionate about media and art, and their effect on the public and individuals; she is excited to be a part of the team bringing "Kinetic" to life. Currently based in New York City, she also has roots in Vermont and the Bay Area in California.
Gawen Head-Allain, Composer
Gawen Head-Allain is a composer and producer whose works fall between the cracks of genre and aesthetic in electronic music and film scoring. With a background in Commercial composing as well as EDM production supported by a backbone of world-influenced rhythms with a cinematic flair, his musical bodies of work have been expertly established. Allain’s various projects have since garnered commercial recognition and industry respect. In the past year alone, his tracks such as "Fallacy" and “Kaleidoscope” were featured in national campaigns for Apple, and the HBO MAX show “The Hype” respectively as well as Nintendo and many more.
John Nick Bartley, Assistant Director
Is an award-winning Brooklyn-based filmmaker. A Las Vegas transplant, John moved to NYC after college to expand his horizons in film. Since the move to Brooklyn four years ago, John has been on countless commercial, narrative, and TV productions as an AC. John currently works as a freelance AC as well as an Editor for music videos, commercials/promos, documentaries, and narratives.