Last Dusk
San Francisco, California | Film Short
LGBTQ, Horror
Last Dusk is an intimate project that draws on personal life experiences from the filmmakers. The film intends to affirm the complexities of queerness & identity and fuel a conversation around the impact of societal trauma, set against the backdrop of rural loneliness.
Last Dusk
San Francisco, California | Film Short
LGBTQ, Horror
Green Light
This campaign raised $8,100 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
31 supporters | followers
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Last Dusk is an intimate project that draws on personal life experiences from the filmmakers. The film intends to affirm the complexities of queerness & identity and fuel a conversation around the impact of societal trauma, set against the backdrop of rural loneliness.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
K and S live together in a secluded farmhouse somewhere in the rural South. When the film opens, it becomes clear that the two have a strained and complicated relationship, furthered by overhanging religious guilt and intergenerational trauma.
A string of cascading events causes the two to suddenly find themselves trapped in their own home, and the couple must learn how to navigate isolation from society and the fragile nature of their deteriorating relationship. As time progresses, they fall into a metaphorical, murky dreamscape and reckon with losing their grip on reality and themselves.
This film aims to disrupt and reevaluate the expectation that queer relationships depicted in media need to be either idealistic or completely tragic. Although we are inspired by and uplift queer representation that shows “coming-of-age” stories or romances with happy endings, we also recognize that queer relationships in real life are sometimes a far cry from that. They’re complicated, messy, nuanced and unpredictable at times. By affirming that queer relationships are complex, we grant them humanity. Now more than ever, it’s important to intentionally create avenues for queer expression and construct narratives in which queer folks feel acknowledged and heard. This project allows us to explore the complexities and turbulence of navigating an intimate relationship with another person.
We are a collective group of queer and trans filmmakers based in the SF Bay Area, CA. This is our first short film together. After many late nights bonding over a love of Southern Gothic aesthetics and dark & surrealist horror movies, the three of us created a photoshoot inspired by the X film trilogy, the Red Dead Redemption games, and the visuals of artists like Ethel Cain, King Woman, and Boy Harsher. We weren't able to shoot every single concept that we wanted to in just one session, so we decided to expand on the themes and turn it into a short film.
Last Dusk is an incredibly personal project for the three of us. The process has given us the space to express and release trauma that we’ve all individually experienced. Our storytelling is collective catharsis; it is not just one person’s story, but rather contains pieces of everyone. With the story, we explore the liminal space between loving someone and dependency, and what it means to care for someone who is carrying a lot of unprocessed trauma. The surreal nature of the film represents how in abusive situations, it can be difficult to discern the truth and fully conceptualize and process the violence that’s occurring.
We are honored to share this film with the community, and we invite you to join us in bringing our vision to life.
Every dollar contributed will go towards paying our team and ensuring that the narrative we want to share with you all is composed in a thoughtful, efficient, and collective way.
Cast and Crew: We are an all queer, non-binary, and trans cast and crew, and are very proud of our team. The majority of the funds raised will go directly towards our cast and crew for their hard work, talent, and time. We are dedicated to supporting our community members and compensating them appropriately, especially in an industry where queer and trans creatives are disproportionally underpaid and underrepresented.
Food: It's important to ensure our cast and crew are well-fed and taken care of while on set. This will allow us to provide craft services and meal catering to help us work through incredibly long shoot days.
Wardrobe and Set Design: A huge part of the film is creating and breathing life into the environment that our characters live in. A portion of our funds will go towards acquiring vintage furniture, wall decor, and other set pieces to populate the space with. It will also go towards props and wardrobe for the characters.
Rentals: Some of the funds we raise will go towards covering any additional camera, lighting, grip, and sound equipment needed to ensure the filming process goes smoothly.
Relief Aid: We recognize that asking for funding to make a film is a privilege, especially now during ongoing worldwide genocides. We will match a percentage of what we raise and donate it directly towards Palestinian relief aid, and receipts will be provided after we wrap production.
We are currently scheduled to begin shooting in August 2024, and are very excited to move forward with production.
You can contribute by choosing an incentive or making a pledge. Every little bit helps in making all of this possible!
Please share our campaign with anyone you think would be interested in our project! Follow us on Instagram to get updates, and feel free to message us with any questions!
Thank you so much for your support, trust, and consideration. We're incredibly eager to share what we've been working on, and hope you'll follow along on this journey with us.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast and Crew
Costs $5,000
The majority of our budget will go towards paying everyone for their talent and time. Without them, none of this would be possible!
Food/Craft Services
Costs $1,000
This ensures everyone on set are well-fed throughout long shoot days!
Set Design
Costs $500
This helps cover the cost of set pieces, decor, and props to really bring the environment to life!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
ALEX WU (SHE/THEY) - DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, CINEMATOGRAPHER
Alex Wu is a queer Chinese-American film photographer and visual artist based in the East Bay, CA. Her passion lies in capturing portraiture that reveals the nuanced complexities of human expression, and affirms intersectional and nonbinary identities. They have worked on various film productions as a set photographer, and is incredibly excited to shoot and direct their first short film. When not working on this project or shooting portraits, she is head of art design and co-editor at Ouch! Collective.
JAMESY OCHS (THEY/SHE) - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, 1ST AC
Jamesy Ochs is an artist living in Richmond, California, whose early involvement with film and photography led them on a natural progression through mixed media and exploratory art forms. Their current work focuses on composing visual poems steeped in psychological, metaphysical and mythological elements that imitate the shades of the human experience, expressed through visceral inky stream-of-consciousness open mind meditations. Their emotional content is focused through mediums such as watercolor, oil, wood burning, sumi, sculpture, photography, and their digital counterparts.
KAI SHARPE (SHE/THEY) - LEAD ACTOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, CO-WRITER
Kai Sharpe is an actor and writer located in Berkeley, CA. A majority of their acting experience originates from various community theatre stages in their hometown of Memphis, TN. During their time as a UC Berkeley student, they also participated in the feminist theatre company “The Golden” and directed a queer rendition of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” She has a passion for experimental storytelling rooted in intentional, nuanced character portrayal. She is excited for the opportunity to produce and debut in her first film.
SHAYNA ANN HOWLETT (THEY/THEM) - LEAD ACTOR, CO-WRITER
Shayna Ann Howlett is thrilled to work on this deeply relevant film project. Prior credits include ‘Measure for Measure’ (The Duke) with the American Conservatory Theater; ‘Hamlet’ (Laertes) with Vallejo Shakespeare in the Park; ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (Titania) with the Foodbank Players; ‘The Comedy of Errors’ (Antipholus of Ephesus) with Prague Shakespeare Company; ‘Hamlet’ (Rosencrantz) with the University of California, Berkeley Theater Department; and ‘Dog Sees God’ (Van's Sister) and ‘1984’ (The Loudspeaker) with Barestage Productions. You can see them in other recent on-screen work as Claudia in “The Crab” and Anita in “Deep Time”. Follow them @shay.how on Instagram.
LUNA CELI (THEY/THEM) - PRODUCTION SOUND MIXER, SOUND DESIGNER
Luna Celi is a queer/trans Cuban-American musician, sound designer, and multimedia artist based in Oakland, CA. Their current projects include creating immersive audio experiences for video games. Drawing inspiration from the darkness and subtleties of the natural world, Luna infuses their pieces with a deep sense of atmosphere and emotion. They are excited to make their debut in sound and audio for film.
SAM COOP (HE/HIM) - SCRIPT SUPERVISOR, CO-WRITER
Sam Coop is a screenwriter currently based in San Francisco, CA. After studying film at SFSU, he is committed to being a part of the growing independent film community in the Bay Area, and is ecstatic to work on his first larger-scale project as a script supervisor. Some of Sam's biggest inspirations are the films of Gregg Araki, and he wishes to create similar freeform approaches to future projects.
JUSTINE PRESTON (THEY/THEM) - COMPOSER, MUSIC SUPERVISOR
Justine Preston is a musician based in San Francisco since 2014, when they graduated from San Francisco Conservatory of Music. As a violist they frequently perform in a variety of styles, from classical to hip hop, and writing and recording music with their experimental chamber pop band, Love Can’t Save You Padmé. Justine has enjoyed collaborating with dancers, touring and local bands, visual artists, poets, and circus performers. They also have a large studio of violin, viola, and composition students throughout the Bay Area.
Justine has an eclectic array of musical and artistic influences, especially Björk and David Lynch, and the settings and aesthetics of fantasy and science fiction. They're currently experimenting with distorted and layered viola improvisation, as well as using synthesizers and mundane objects, to create atmospheric, dreamlike, and surreal soundscapes to soundtrack this project.
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MOMMY MOMMY - SOUNDTRACK
Mommy Mommy is a queer rock band based in Oakland, California. The band was started in 2022 by Lily Ramus, Ray Sunshine, Ian Watson, and Chard Masulis. Guided by a devotion to the yassification of rock music, Mommy Mommy embraces sounds inspired from a diverse range of influences, including but not limited to psych rock, punk, pop, metal, and Latin jazz.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
K and S live together in a secluded farmhouse somewhere in the rural South. When the film opens, it becomes clear that the two have a strained and complicated relationship, furthered by overhanging religious guilt and intergenerational trauma.
A string of cascading events causes the two to suddenly find themselves trapped in their own home, and the couple must learn how to navigate isolation from society and the fragile nature of their deteriorating relationship. As time progresses, they fall into a metaphorical, murky dreamscape and reckon with losing their grip on reality and themselves.
This film aims to disrupt and reevaluate the expectation that queer relationships depicted in media need to be either idealistic or completely tragic. Although we are inspired by and uplift queer representation that shows “coming-of-age” stories or romances with happy endings, we also recognize that queer relationships in real life are sometimes a far cry from that. They’re complicated, messy, nuanced and unpredictable at times. By affirming that queer relationships are complex, we grant them humanity. Now more than ever, it’s important to intentionally create avenues for queer expression and construct narratives in which queer folks feel acknowledged and heard. This project allows us to explore the complexities and turbulence of navigating an intimate relationship with another person.
We are a collective group of queer and trans filmmakers based in the SF Bay Area, CA. This is our first short film together. After many late nights bonding over a love of Southern Gothic aesthetics and dark & surrealist horror movies, the three of us created a photoshoot inspired by the X film trilogy, the Red Dead Redemption games, and the visuals of artists like Ethel Cain, King Woman, and Boy Harsher. We weren't able to shoot every single concept that we wanted to in just one session, so we decided to expand on the themes and turn it into a short film.
Last Dusk is an incredibly personal project for the three of us. The process has given us the space to express and release trauma that we’ve all individually experienced. Our storytelling is collective catharsis; it is not just one person’s story, but rather contains pieces of everyone. With the story, we explore the liminal space between loving someone and dependency, and what it means to care for someone who is carrying a lot of unprocessed trauma. The surreal nature of the film represents how in abusive situations, it can be difficult to discern the truth and fully conceptualize and process the violence that’s occurring.
We are honored to share this film with the community, and we invite you to join us in bringing our vision to life.
Every dollar contributed will go towards paying our team and ensuring that the narrative we want to share with you all is composed in a thoughtful, efficient, and collective way.
Cast and Crew: We are an all queer, non-binary, and trans cast and crew, and are very proud of our team. The majority of the funds raised will go directly towards our cast and crew for their hard work, talent, and time. We are dedicated to supporting our community members and compensating them appropriately, especially in an industry where queer and trans creatives are disproportionally underpaid and underrepresented.
Food: It's important to ensure our cast and crew are well-fed and taken care of while on set. This will allow us to provide craft services and meal catering to help us work through incredibly long shoot days.
Wardrobe and Set Design: A huge part of the film is creating and breathing life into the environment that our characters live in. A portion of our funds will go towards acquiring vintage furniture, wall decor, and other set pieces to populate the space with. It will also go towards props and wardrobe for the characters.
Rentals: Some of the funds we raise will go towards covering any additional camera, lighting, grip, and sound equipment needed to ensure the filming process goes smoothly.
Relief Aid: We recognize that asking for funding to make a film is a privilege, especially now during ongoing worldwide genocides. We will match a percentage of what we raise and donate it directly towards Palestinian relief aid, and receipts will be provided after we wrap production.
We are currently scheduled to begin shooting in August 2024, and are very excited to move forward with production.
You can contribute by choosing an incentive or making a pledge. Every little bit helps in making all of this possible!
Please share our campaign with anyone you think would be interested in our project! Follow us on Instagram to get updates, and feel free to message us with any questions!
Thank you so much for your support, trust, and consideration. We're incredibly eager to share what we've been working on, and hope you'll follow along on this journey with us.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast and Crew
Costs $5,000
The majority of our budget will go towards paying everyone for their talent and time. Without them, none of this would be possible!
Food/Craft Services
Costs $1,000
This ensures everyone on set are well-fed throughout long shoot days!
Set Design
Costs $500
This helps cover the cost of set pieces, decor, and props to really bring the environment to life!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
ALEX WU (SHE/THEY) - DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, CINEMATOGRAPHER
Alex Wu is a queer Chinese-American film photographer and visual artist based in the East Bay, CA. Her passion lies in capturing portraiture that reveals the nuanced complexities of human expression, and affirms intersectional and nonbinary identities. They have worked on various film productions as a set photographer, and is incredibly excited to shoot and direct their first short film. When not working on this project or shooting portraits, she is head of art design and co-editor at Ouch! Collective.
JAMESY OCHS (THEY/SHE) - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, 1ST AC
Jamesy Ochs is an artist living in Richmond, California, whose early involvement with film and photography led them on a natural progression through mixed media and exploratory art forms. Their current work focuses on composing visual poems steeped in psychological, metaphysical and mythological elements that imitate the shades of the human experience, expressed through visceral inky stream-of-consciousness open mind meditations. Their emotional content is focused through mediums such as watercolor, oil, wood burning, sumi, sculpture, photography, and their digital counterparts.
KAI SHARPE (SHE/THEY) - LEAD ACTOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, CO-WRITER
Kai Sharpe is an actor and writer located in Berkeley, CA. A majority of their acting experience originates from various community theatre stages in their hometown of Memphis, TN. During their time as a UC Berkeley student, they also participated in the feminist theatre company “The Golden” and directed a queer rendition of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” She has a passion for experimental storytelling rooted in intentional, nuanced character portrayal. She is excited for the opportunity to produce and debut in her first film.
SHAYNA ANN HOWLETT (THEY/THEM) - LEAD ACTOR, CO-WRITER
Shayna Ann Howlett is thrilled to work on this deeply relevant film project. Prior credits include ‘Measure for Measure’ (The Duke) with the American Conservatory Theater; ‘Hamlet’ (Laertes) with Vallejo Shakespeare in the Park; ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (Titania) with the Foodbank Players; ‘The Comedy of Errors’ (Antipholus of Ephesus) with Prague Shakespeare Company; ‘Hamlet’ (Rosencrantz) with the University of California, Berkeley Theater Department; and ‘Dog Sees God’ (Van's Sister) and ‘1984’ (The Loudspeaker) with Barestage Productions. You can see them in other recent on-screen work as Claudia in “The Crab” and Anita in “Deep Time”. Follow them @shay.how on Instagram.
LUNA CELI (THEY/THEM) - PRODUCTION SOUND MIXER, SOUND DESIGNER
Luna Celi is a queer/trans Cuban-American musician, sound designer, and multimedia artist based in Oakland, CA. Their current projects include creating immersive audio experiences for video games. Drawing inspiration from the darkness and subtleties of the natural world, Luna infuses their pieces with a deep sense of atmosphere and emotion. They are excited to make their debut in sound and audio for film.
SAM COOP (HE/HIM) - SCRIPT SUPERVISOR, CO-WRITER
Sam Coop is a screenwriter currently based in San Francisco, CA. After studying film at SFSU, he is committed to being a part of the growing independent film community in the Bay Area, and is ecstatic to work on his first larger-scale project as a script supervisor. Some of Sam's biggest inspirations are the films of Gregg Araki, and he wishes to create similar freeform approaches to future projects.
JUSTINE PRESTON (THEY/THEM) - COMPOSER, MUSIC SUPERVISOR
Justine Preston is a musician based in San Francisco since 2014, when they graduated from San Francisco Conservatory of Music. As a violist they frequently perform in a variety of styles, from classical to hip hop, and writing and recording music with their experimental chamber pop band, Love Can’t Save You Padmé. Justine has enjoyed collaborating with dancers, touring and local bands, visual artists, poets, and circus performers. They also have a large studio of violin, viola, and composition students throughout the Bay Area.
Justine has an eclectic array of musical and artistic influences, especially Björk and David Lynch, and the settings and aesthetics of fantasy and science fiction. They're currently experimenting with distorted and layered viola improvisation, as well as using synthesizers and mundane objects, to create atmospheric, dreamlike, and surreal soundscapes to soundtrack this project.