Everything is going wrong on the set of a low-budget zombie film that director Scott and actress Maggie have worked so hard for. Most notably, they no longer have convincing zombies because the makeup artist has disappeared. As they’re about to throw in the towel, they realize that a novel moth virus has broken out, turning people into “zombies.” A production nightmare? Perhaps. But they’ve got the right look.

We all have some kind of ambition--a desire to do something important, to make a difference in the world, or to create something bigger than ourselves. But what if that desire consumes your life? You could stop caring for your health. You could ruin relationships with your friends and family. You could do something illegal to get to that end goal. Obviously, ambition can be unhealthy. I wanted to explore this idea in the language of horror and comedy, so that things could be taken to their extremes.

I have always been fascinated by the idea of comedy horror as far as I can remember. On paper, comedy and horror seem like opposite ends of the genre spectrum, yet they share a key trait: they rely on neither logic nor emotion, but instinct. Fear and laughter are both instinctive responses--undeniable, genuine, and pure. I hope this film makes you recoil from disgust and burst out laughing moments later. And I hope our twisted characters leave you with some questions (and maybe make you fall in love with them a little) as you watch them through their highest and their lowest… They may be opportunistic--exploitative even--but deep down, you and I also have what they have: ambition.

Stock image designed by rawpixel.com on Freepik.

Seed & Spark requires that we raise at least 80% of our goal in 30 days or we won't receive any funds at all. We’ve already raised $12,000 from grants and awards, and we’re hoping to raise an additional $12,000 (50% of our total production budget) through crowdfunding.

• $6,000 will pay for food for our hardworking cast and crew (30-40) during our 7 days of production. This includes meals, snacks, and coffee.
• $5,000 will support our talented ensemble cast for their on-screen magic. 
• $5,000 will go towards paying the location fees. We need ample space for 30-40 people (including cast, crew, and extras) away from civilization, a cinematic cabin for our interior location, and a very long stretch of woods for our climactic chase scene. Unfortunately, such areas are hard to come by near Austin. Luckily our good friends at Spiderwood Studios are working with us to make this film and we’ve secured their wonderful backlot as our set!
• $3,000 will go towards production design, set dressing, costumes, and special effects makeup for our zombies. We’re lucky to be working with Hawgfly Productions, a professional FX makeup house who’s worked on many zombie TV shows and movies in Austin, such as The Walking Dead.
• $2,500 will be used to pay for gear rentals (specialized equipment, rigs, generators, and trucks to transport the gear).
• $2,500 will go towards paying for specialized crew positions, such as insect wranglers and stunt supervisors.

Stretch goal:

While our goal of $12,000 will cover the essential production costs, there are other costs associated with completing the film.

• At $15,000, we’ll be able to cover post-production costs (VFX, sound design, score, color grade).
• At $16,000, we’ll be able to cover distribution costs (film festival submissions).

*COVID is still an active threat to on-set productions, even the ones like ours with big outdoor sets. To prioritize cast and crew safety and minimize scheduling uncertainty, we'll be providing PPE and free rapid testing for everyone involved and setting up multiple sanitation tables for easy reach throughout the shoot.

Pledging any amount to our campaign is immensely helpful, as every bit helps. If you aren’t able to support us financially at this time, we completely understand! It would help us out a ton if you: 

1. Follow us on Seed & Spark. As we gain followers, we may become eligible for extra resources through the platform that will elevate the potential for this project’s success.
2. Follow us on Instagram @monstrumopus to keep up to date with the project and get behind-the-scenes access!
3. Share this information with your friends, family, social media following, or anyone else who you think might be interested in watching this wacky film. The only way we can reach our goal is to reach beyond our networks. Want to share but not sure what to say? We’ve made you some templates--feel free to copy and paste!

“Do you love zombies and Macbeth? Help filmmaker Nalbeat “Sonny” Kwon make his comedy horror film @monstrumopus. Join them on Seed & Spark: www.seedandspark.com/fund/monstrumopus”

Or:

“Hi fans of comedy horror! Check out this campaign for a University of Texas MFA thesis film about zombies, filmmaking, and Macbeth! www.seedandspark.com/fund/monstrumopus”

We’re so grateful for your support and can’t wait to share the final film with you!