LEVEL is about the poor choices we make while growing up and being forced to deal with the fallout. The story follows Jae and Dippy, two teenagers who commit petty crimes to survive. When their work becomes too serious, they are forced to either give in to authority or make a final leap for freedom.
LEVEL is about the poor choices we make while growing up and being forced to deal with the fallout. The story follows Jae and Dippy, two teenagers who commit petty crimes to survive. When their work becomes too serious, they are forced to either give in to authority or make a final leap for freedom.
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Story
Mission Statement
Level is a reflection of the struggles of adolescents growing up, trying to cope with their surroundings, and finding their place in the world. Our goal is to inspire others to find their voice.About The Project
Although originally from New Jersey, the writers Zack and Jacob spent the past semester living in Downtown Los Angeles. While coming up with a concept for the film, the city’s nightlife was a huge inspiration for how we wanted the film to feel; alive and buzzing. Nearing the end of our college experience, we feel fear, uncertainty and anxiety about our future lives. Channeling that into our characters, this film will reflect those same emotions but with characters in more extreme circumstances.
We were inspired by films with worlds that felt tactile and real. These extremely emotional films have created an everlasting effect on our filmmaking experience and we wish to capture those feelings. Heavily inspired by "Good Time" and "Drive," our goal is to create an anxious slow-burn film with each frame bursting with style and color. The sleek lighting design and colorful imagery from films like "Suspiria" and "Blade Runner" have had a huge effect on how we plan to show the world our characters live in.
Our goal is to create an immersive experience for the audience. Here are some of the things we think are most important in achieving that goal:
Realism: The world in which the characters live must feel real in order for the weight of their situations to be felt.
Sound Design: Sound is one of the biggest factors in making an immersive experience. Each sound should draw the audience closer to the world.
Score: We are using a fully original film score to enhance the tension and anxiety felt on screen.
Acting: Hiring professional actors from the greater New York City Area, we are planning extensive rehearsal time to nail the performances on set.
Editing: The editing will likely be similar to that of a horror film, holding out shots longer than expected to add to the anxiety and dread.
Cinematography: Using surrealist and expressionistic lighting, the colors are designed to heighten the emotional impact of each image. We will also utilize long gliding camera movements to keep the focus on the action and follow our characters closely.
First and foremost, part of the budget will be spent on COVID-19 safety. This includes buying tests for everyone who will be on set, masks, gloves, and plexiglass to separate crew members and keep safety our number one priority. More on that in the section below.
In terms of the film itself, a huge part of creating the world of our characters is finding the perfect locations and sets to use, along with props and wardrobe. The money we raise will also go into paying our actors for their time and accommodations such as food and travel. Making sure the film is professionally shot and sounds good, we will pay for equipment and professional sound. Finally, we will use the remaining budget on film festivals and marketing, making sure our film is accessible to a wide variety of audiences!
We are taking safety precautions due to the COVID-19 pandemic extremely seriously, making sure everyone gets tested before shooting and COVID protocols are met on set. This includes social distancing and wearing masks. We understand this is a tough time for everyone, and the uncertainty of the future is at an all-time high. However, we feel confident in our safety protocols and will make decisions based on the cast and crew’s safety above all else.
Thank you for taking the time to review our page and for your interest in our project. We sincerely believe we have a great story to tell, and we appreciate any support you can give to the project. Thank you for believing in our team and our vision. We can’t wait to get started!
Incentives
$15
Specialized Thank You on Social Media. digital poster, digital soundtrack
Thanks for your support! We’ll shout you out on our social media and send you a digital copy of the film's poster and soundtrack.$30
Private access to the film + Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery (+Previous Reward)
Once the film is complete, you’ll get a digital copy of the film, and access to a behind-the-scenes photogallery.$50
Signed script and Behind-the-scenes featurette (+ Previous Reward)
Read the script we used to create the film, signed by each member of our production team! You will also receive access to a behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of LEVEL.$100
Original Baseball Cap Replica From Film (Limited Stock) and name in credits (+ Previous Rewards)
Own a Custom Designed Baseball Cap that Jae wears in the film and see your name in the credits.$250
Business Sponsorship in Credits AND Early Access to Film (+ Previous Rewards)
Give a shoutout to your Company or Brand in the credits and watch the film digitally before anyone else!$500
Associate Producer Credit (Includes Private Screening Party) (+ Previous Rewards)
Become a Movie Producer! Associate Producer Credits along with an invitation to a Private Screening Party with the Crew.$1,000
Executive Producer Credit (Invitation to Festivals, Overview of Progress) (+ Previous Rewards)
Become involved in our process, come with us to festivals, and live the dream of being an Executive Film Producer! -
Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$15
Specialized Thank You on Social Media. digital poster, digital soundtrack
Thanks for your support! We’ll shout you out on our social media and send you a digital copy of the film's poster and soundtrack.$30
Private access to the film + Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery (+Previous Reward)
Once the film is complete, you’ll get a digital copy of the film, and access to a behind-the-scenes photogallery.$50
Signed script and Behind-the-scenes featurette (+ Previous Reward)
Read the script we used to create the film, signed by each member of our production team! You will also receive access to a behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of LEVEL.$100
Original Baseball Cap Replica From Film (Limited Stock) and name in credits (+ Previous Rewards)
Own a Custom Designed Baseball Cap that Jae wears in the film and see your name in the credits.$250
Business Sponsorship in Credits AND Early Access to Film (+ Previous Rewards)
Give a shoutout to your Company or Brand in the credits and watch the film digitally before anyone else!$500
Associate Producer Credit (Includes Private Screening Party) (+ Previous Rewards)
Become a Movie Producer! Associate Producer Credits along with an invitation to a Private Screening Party with the Crew.$1,000
Executive Producer Credit (Invitation to Festivals, Overview of Progress) (+ Previous Rewards)
Become involved in our process, come with us to festivals, and live the dream of being an Executive Film Producer! - Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Zack Carlascio is the director and co-writer on LEVEL and grew up in New Jersey. He's been making short films since he was 12 years old and plans to continue following his aspirations in the industry after college. Working as a crew member on projects like Gordon Ramsey's 24 Hours to Hell and Back and two feature films, he's looking forward to bringing his experiences from those sets to the set of LEVEL.
Jadon Grier is the producer of LEVEL and has always been interested in the film making process since he was young. Not only has he spent the last three years developing his filmmaking abilities in school, but he also used what he learned in the other ventures, including an internship at TEDxCrenshaw. What excites him most about producing this short film is that he gets a chance to those three years of school to the test.
Nathan Wilhelm is the assistant director and editor of LEVEL from North Kingstown, RI. He discovered his love of film in high school, where he made his first short film. He has since worked on other short films, commercials, and his own projects. He is excited to take LEVEL to its next step and build the story piece by piece.
Daniel Kricheli is the director of photography of LEVEL and is a big fan of movies, video games, comic books, and not a fan of being known as the “other Dan” on the crew. He's played video games since the age of 4 with his uncle who also introduced him to film. He’s excited to take on the challenge of shooting a short film.
Danielle Filardi is the production designer of LEVEL and a third-year 3+1 student studying Film, Television, and Media Arts. She has worked in an internship position for JIG Reel Studios and Franklin Entertainment located in Los Angeles, CA. Using this on-set experience, she is excited to practice her creativity and test the limits of design in the Production Designer position.
Jacob Betzner is a co-writer on the script for LEVEL and a filmmaker from New Jersey, with a focus on professional screenwriting. He's been screenwriting for seven years and is currently employed by John Fogel Entertainment Group where he develops feature film screenplays. He has a bachelor's in film, television, and media, and is working towards getting a master's degree by the end of the school year. He's very excited to help bring LEVEL to life.
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