Love and the Deadly Virus
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Romance, Romantic Comedy
Amid a pandemic, hypochondriac seamstress has her world upside down when she meets a handsome dancer on a dating app. Their restrained passion will compel her to put aside her fear of infection and figure out an unusual method to get closer to him.
Love and the Deadly Virus
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Romance, Romantic Comedy
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $10,385 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
48 supporters | followers
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Amid a pandemic, hypochondriac seamstress has her world upside down when she meets a handsome dancer on a dating app. Their restrained passion will compel her to put aside her fear of infection and figure out an unusual method to get closer to him.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The story
Love doesn't knock on your door and certainly doesn't believe in keeping distance (even during a deadly pandemic). This is what Love, and the Deadly Virus wants to portrait. The solitude we've all been feeling throughout this year of isolation, mixed with our basic needs for touch and interaction. This story portraits the restless human search for love and happiness.
We all know how hard it's been to keep our sanity during this almost year-long quarantine. Meeting new people and dating is a risk. This is what this film is for, to give voices to all of us who have experienced frustration and isolation due to these now ordinary circumstances. This is why Love, and the Deadly Virus is an important film to watch now. With a touch of old-world charm and magical realism, everyone will identify with Horace and Silveria's story.
Image by Amanda Rosa serves as an inspiration to the script.
Why me?
Since I started my MFA in Film at ArtCenter College of Design, I was looking forward to making a thesis film where I could give expression to everything I learned during my last few years at school. Before and during film school, I worked for free on other students' thesis films and projects. Making my own thesis film was my most desired dream.
One of the first school assignments where we use my house as a location.
I worked thoroughly on a different script, but when the pandemic hit it was almost impossible to shoot. It involved more characters, locations, and extras. But that wasn't the only issue, due to the new policies, the school stopped every high level production, which meant that I wouldn't be able to get insurance or equipment from them.
The panorama was bleak; there was a global pandemic, a massive lockdown, and all I could think was about the film I didn't make.
Spending so much time at home I was constantly reading the news and talking to my friends and family about their feelings towards this new situation. When listening to my single friend's dating circumstances, I realized what they were living through was worth portraying in a film.
I've always been a fan of magical realism, art films, and weirdness. I didn't want my film to be another reminder about how disastrous our current lives were. This is why wrote the story giving it a fun twist to make it different and memorable. In film, everything is possible, and I try to take advantage of this wonderful tool every time I shoot.
One of the things that made me fall in love with cinema was the Art Direction. The film Amélie, the films of Wes Anderson and Pedro Almodóvar, compelled me to pursue a career as a Production Designer. It has always been my dream to shoot my own film inspired by these kind of aesthetics. This is why I wrote a contemporary story with touches of vintage appeal. The characters have their own particular world similar to ours but charmingly different.
Working on a student film as a Production Designer.
Why now?
I shared the Love, and the Deadly Virus' script with my friends, my family, and my instructors. They all told me they were captivated by it. Even though their situations were different, they identified with the characters and they felt they truly cared for them. I was moved to know this story was touching people's feelings.
I thought about the time sensitiveness of stories and the effect they have on us. Like medicine that gives you relief to a specific symptom at a specific moment.
We open our hearts and mind to movies that speak to us in a particular time or situation. The current episode we are living is very unique and has changed our lives forever. I feel we need more movies that speak about this historical event as a point of reference. This is why we are launching this campaign now, because this is an important film to make, today more than ever.
As a recent graduate film alum, this project is paramount not only for my career, but the careers of my classmates, and all the members of our team. We cannot be called filmmakers without making a film first.
We are carefully planning our production to adhere to covid compliant guidelines and will follow every county and union health guidance to guarantee the safety of our cast and crew.
We appreciate any help you can give us during these difficult times. We know how hard it is to pledge now more than ever. That is why we want to encourage any contribution amount no matter how small. You will be participating on an art piece that will be portrayed in moving images forever, and forever we will make you proud that you were part of it.
THANK YOU!!!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast & Crew
Costs $6,200
We can't do it without them!
Post Production Services
Costs $2,000
A film is made in post.
Arri Master Anamorphic Lens
Costs $1,000
Lens.
Directors Monitor
Costs $600
Monitor
Chapman Dolly
Costs $600
Dolly
Lighting Kit
Costs $1,000
Joker 800 litemat 4 litemat 2 3x leko
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Cathy Kyritsis • Producer
A native South African and creator of Little Monster's Pictures, Cathy has a decade of experience in content creation. She has a diverse background ranging from digital media, feature films, and corporate motion graphic animation videos.
She fell in love with film the moment she realized it could tell a story and change the world. She has traveled and lived in all corners of the world and brings a unique world view to her work. Catherine is drawn to weirdness and dark unusual tales and is here to bring the world more of that. Her dream has always been to create a “hub” of artists similar to that of Andy Warhol’s The Factory.
Jennifer Bertling • Producer
Jenn Bertling originally from Toronto, Canada and currently based in Los Angeles, completed UCLA’s Producing Program in 2017 and holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Dalhousie University.
She brings an extensive background working in interactive, documentary, feature film and short fiction genres. Recent credits include Draw Me Close (Tribeca Storyscapes, Venice Film Festival), the Webby award-winning Universe Within (Hot Docs), and the interactive documentary The Space We Hold (Peabody-Facebook Futures of Media Award, Best Original Interactive Production - Canadian Screen Award, Digital Dozen Storytelling Award).
Olivia Sandoval • Writer/Director
Born in Chicago, raised in Guadalajara, México. Olivia moved to Los Angeles eight years ago pursuing her dream of becoming a filmmaker. After working in TV news she moved on to work as set dresser and art director in several union, independent, and commercial productions.
On the Fall of 2017 she was accepted as a Film MFA student at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, where she recently graduated. She is a fan of quirky-high stylized films like the ones of Pedro Almodóvar and Wes Anderson. She also praises the realness of Sean Baker, and the bizarre magical realism of Alice Rohrwacher.
Among the companies she's work for includes Buzzfeed, Boohoo, Disney TV, and others. She has worked in critically acclaimed films like The Illegal, 2019 with Suraj Sharma, and All About Nina, 2018, with Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
Vanessa Conde • Actress
Vanessa was born in Eibar, Basque Country, Spain. Since she was three years old she started thinking about being actress and singer. She grew up watching Gone with the Wind and she accepts she was a bit obsessed with Scarlet O’Hara. Vanessa staged her first play when she was 15.
After high school she moved to Madrid where she studied Drama at the University of Kent. She has lead independent movies in Spain and she has appeared as a guest star in renowed TV shows like Cuéntame Cómo Pasó in TVE.
She moved to Los Angeles four years ago and already has appeared in several Independent movies, TV series, commercials, and music videos.
Emiliano Lopez • Actor
Born and raised in the city of Norwalk, California. His passion for theater and arts began at a young age, but it wasn't until he attended Cerritos Community College that he decided to pursue it as a career.
Emiliano has recently returned from nearly seven years of living abroad in the South American city of Quito, Ecuador where he worked as a commercial actor and art teacher. After just a few months upon his return home to Los Angeles, he was cast as a supporting actor in the 2018 performance Free Los Tres with the renowned Boyle Heights theater Casa 0101.
Emiliano then went on to be featured in his first commercial with Fuji Film that led him to earn several leading roles in the popular self-help YouTube channel Dhar Mann Studios. Amongst his work he made a handfull of appearances in popular music videos with the likes of artists such as Joji and Diplo, The Kid Laroi, and Virlan Garcia to name a few.
Emiliano hopes that his future as a professional actor allows him to portray real people that reflect the heart of Chicano culture and Latin peoples who are in need of a much clearer representation in the film and TV industry today.
Henry Yin • Director of Photography
Henry Yin is a Los Angeles based Cinematographer who has over 10 years of experience filming feature films, documentaries, commercials and music videos, across US and China.
He's highly skilled in both studio and location shoots, with both large and small crews. Henry's work covers a wide range of styles and disciplines from compelling, moody and dramatic scenes to bright, aspirational lifestyle pieces. Henry has graduated from ArtCenter College of Design with a MFA in Film Production.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The story
Love doesn't knock on your door and certainly doesn't believe in keeping distance (even during a deadly pandemic). This is what Love, and the Deadly Virus wants to portrait. The solitude we've all been feeling throughout this year of isolation, mixed with our basic needs for touch and interaction. This story portraits the restless human search for love and happiness.
We all know how hard it's been to keep our sanity during this almost year-long quarantine. Meeting new people and dating is a risk. This is what this film is for, to give voices to all of us who have experienced frustration and isolation due to these now ordinary circumstances. This is why Love, and the Deadly Virus is an important film to watch now. With a touch of old-world charm and magical realism, everyone will identify with Horace and Silveria's story.
Image by Amanda Rosa serves as an inspiration to the script.
Why me?
Since I started my MFA in Film at ArtCenter College of Design, I was looking forward to making a thesis film where I could give expression to everything I learned during my last few years at school. Before and during film school, I worked for free on other students' thesis films and projects. Making my own thesis film was my most desired dream.
One of the first school assignments where we use my house as a location.
I worked thoroughly on a different script, but when the pandemic hit it was almost impossible to shoot. It involved more characters, locations, and extras. But that wasn't the only issue, due to the new policies, the school stopped every high level production, which meant that I wouldn't be able to get insurance or equipment from them.
The panorama was bleak; there was a global pandemic, a massive lockdown, and all I could think was about the film I didn't make.
Spending so much time at home I was constantly reading the news and talking to my friends and family about their feelings towards this new situation. When listening to my single friend's dating circumstances, I realized what they were living through was worth portraying in a film.
I've always been a fan of magical realism, art films, and weirdness. I didn't want my film to be another reminder about how disastrous our current lives were. This is why wrote the story giving it a fun twist to make it different and memorable. In film, everything is possible, and I try to take advantage of this wonderful tool every time I shoot.
One of the things that made me fall in love with cinema was the Art Direction. The film Amélie, the films of Wes Anderson and Pedro Almodóvar, compelled me to pursue a career as a Production Designer. It has always been my dream to shoot my own film inspired by these kind of aesthetics. This is why I wrote a contemporary story with touches of vintage appeal. The characters have their own particular world similar to ours but charmingly different.
Working on a student film as a Production Designer.
Why now?
I shared the Love, and the Deadly Virus' script with my friends, my family, and my instructors. They all told me they were captivated by it. Even though their situations were different, they identified with the characters and they felt they truly cared for them. I was moved to know this story was touching people's feelings.
I thought about the time sensitiveness of stories and the effect they have on us. Like medicine that gives you relief to a specific symptom at a specific moment.
We open our hearts and mind to movies that speak to us in a particular time or situation. The current episode we are living is very unique and has changed our lives forever. I feel we need more movies that speak about this historical event as a point of reference. This is why we are launching this campaign now, because this is an important film to make, today more than ever.
As a recent graduate film alum, this project is paramount not only for my career, but the careers of my classmates, and all the members of our team. We cannot be called filmmakers without making a film first.
We are carefully planning our production to adhere to covid compliant guidelines and will follow every county and union health guidance to guarantee the safety of our cast and crew.
We appreciate any help you can give us during these difficult times. We know how hard it is to pledge now more than ever. That is why we want to encourage any contribution amount no matter how small. You will be participating on an art piece that will be portrayed in moving images forever, and forever we will make you proud that you were part of it.
THANK YOU!!!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Cast & Crew
Costs $6,200
We can't do it without them!
Post Production Services
Costs $2,000
A film is made in post.
Arri Master Anamorphic Lens
Costs $1,000
Lens.
Directors Monitor
Costs $600
Monitor
Chapman Dolly
Costs $600
Dolly
Lighting Kit
Costs $1,000
Joker 800 litemat 4 litemat 2 3x leko
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Cathy Kyritsis • Producer
A native South African and creator of Little Monster's Pictures, Cathy has a decade of experience in content creation. She has a diverse background ranging from digital media, feature films, and corporate motion graphic animation videos.
She fell in love with film the moment she realized it could tell a story and change the world. She has traveled and lived in all corners of the world and brings a unique world view to her work. Catherine is drawn to weirdness and dark unusual tales and is here to bring the world more of that. Her dream has always been to create a “hub” of artists similar to that of Andy Warhol’s The Factory.
Jennifer Bertling • Producer
Jenn Bertling originally from Toronto, Canada and currently based in Los Angeles, completed UCLA’s Producing Program in 2017 and holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Dalhousie University.
She brings an extensive background working in interactive, documentary, feature film and short fiction genres. Recent credits include Draw Me Close (Tribeca Storyscapes, Venice Film Festival), the Webby award-winning Universe Within (Hot Docs), and the interactive documentary The Space We Hold (Peabody-Facebook Futures of Media Award, Best Original Interactive Production - Canadian Screen Award, Digital Dozen Storytelling Award).
Olivia Sandoval • Writer/Director
Born in Chicago, raised in Guadalajara, México. Olivia moved to Los Angeles eight years ago pursuing her dream of becoming a filmmaker. After working in TV news she moved on to work as set dresser and art director in several union, independent, and commercial productions.
On the Fall of 2017 she was accepted as a Film MFA student at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, where she recently graduated. She is a fan of quirky-high stylized films like the ones of Pedro Almodóvar and Wes Anderson. She also praises the realness of Sean Baker, and the bizarre magical realism of Alice Rohrwacher.
Among the companies she's work for includes Buzzfeed, Boohoo, Disney TV, and others. She has worked in critically acclaimed films like The Illegal, 2019 with Suraj Sharma, and All About Nina, 2018, with Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
Vanessa Conde • Actress
Vanessa was born in Eibar, Basque Country, Spain. Since she was three years old she started thinking about being actress and singer. She grew up watching Gone with the Wind and she accepts she was a bit obsessed with Scarlet O’Hara. Vanessa staged her first play when she was 15.
After high school she moved to Madrid where she studied Drama at the University of Kent. She has lead independent movies in Spain and she has appeared as a guest star in renowed TV shows like Cuéntame Cómo Pasó in TVE.
She moved to Los Angeles four years ago and already has appeared in several Independent movies, TV series, commercials, and music videos.
Emiliano Lopez • Actor
Born and raised in the city of Norwalk, California. His passion for theater and arts began at a young age, but it wasn't until he attended Cerritos Community College that he decided to pursue it as a career.
Emiliano has recently returned from nearly seven years of living abroad in the South American city of Quito, Ecuador where he worked as a commercial actor and art teacher. After just a few months upon his return home to Los Angeles, he was cast as a supporting actor in the 2018 performance Free Los Tres with the renowned Boyle Heights theater Casa 0101.
Emiliano then went on to be featured in his first commercial with Fuji Film that led him to earn several leading roles in the popular self-help YouTube channel Dhar Mann Studios. Amongst his work he made a handfull of appearances in popular music videos with the likes of artists such as Joji and Diplo, The Kid Laroi, and Virlan Garcia to name a few.
Emiliano hopes that his future as a professional actor allows him to portray real people that reflect the heart of Chicano culture and Latin peoples who are in need of a much clearer representation in the film and TV industry today.
Henry Yin • Director of Photography
Henry Yin is a Los Angeles based Cinematographer who has over 10 years of experience filming feature films, documentaries, commercials and music videos, across US and China.
He's highly skilled in both studio and location shoots, with both large and small crews. Henry's work covers a wide range of styles and disciplines from compelling, moody and dramatic scenes to bright, aspirational lifestyle pieces. Henry has graduated from ArtCenter College of Design with a MFA in Film Production.