Night Train
New York City, New York | Film Short
Horror, Teen
NIGHT TRAIN is about two teenage boys who dare each other to ride the NYC subway through a ghost station in the dead of night. Like a dark ride at an amusement park, it will be spooky, exciting, and atmospheric.
Night Train
New York City, New York | Film Short
Horror, Teen
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $19,692 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
89 supporters | followers
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NIGHT TRAIN is about two teenage boys who dare each other to ride the NYC subway through a ghost station in the dead of night. Like a dark ride at an amusement park, it will be spooky, exciting, and atmospheric.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
It’s close to midnight in the city. The summer air is heavy with humidity. The sickly yellow glow of a subway lamp illuminates the entrance to a station.
Two teenage boys hurry towards the stairs. They’re old enough to venture into the city by themselves but young enough to worry their parents if they don’t return home at the time they promised.
“We’re gonna be late,” says the younger boy.
“No we’re not. Just follow me,” says the older boy.
The boys descend the steps and into the subway…
Welcome aboard NIGHT TRAIN, a short horror film and an ode to the scary movies and TV shows that shaped my childhood in the 90s. I watched most of them through my fingers, but I still love them.
I’m talking about Goosebumps. Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Witches. The Nightmare Before Christmas.
This is a project I’ve been dreaming up for a while. It’s a blend of many different ideas and interests I’ve had through the years: My fascination with abandoned subway stations. My love and fear of dark rides at amusement parks. And most of all, my desire to make a teen horror film that is actually scary.
I’ve assembled an incredible cast and crew. Our two leads will be played by Daniel and Cairo, teen actors who starred together in the Netflix-sponsored short film Sunflower Girl. Our cinematographer, Eric, shot the feature film Cicada (BFI 2020) as well as ad campaigns for companies such as Burberry, Adidas, and Converse. And our producer, Hailey, is a horror fan with wide connections in the NYC filmmaking community.
Since most of the story takes place in the New York City subway, we are partnering with ZeroSpace, a virtual studio in Brooklyn, to shoot for one day on their subway set. Filming on a set will allow us to control all aspects of the production instead of dealing with all of the unpredictability and noise of an actual subway car.
We plan to shoot the film on the last weekend of September, complete post-production in October, and submit to festivals in the winter.
Your contribution will help move NIGHT TRAIN into production, ensure payment to cast and crew, and allow us to properly finish the film in post-production. Your contribution will pay for:
- Cast and crew
- A safe and smoothly run production
- Gear rentals we don't already have in our kit
- Finalizing sound and picture in post-production
Our ask of $18,400 will help us rent a studio space, pay cast and crew for their work and feed them, rent equipment like a camera and lights, purchase production insurance, and push this film through post-production and into the festival circuit where it can be seen and enjoyed by a large audience.
There are always challenges when making a film. That’s why we have assembled an experienced and talented crew. Each of them offers a unique set of skills and talent that we will combine to creatively solve any production obstacle we face. Your support and financial contributions are vital to this project’s success. If you genuinely want to be a part of our film, whether you’re a friend, family member, colleague, or you just stumbled across our campaign and this idea is speaking to you, I’d love to have you be a part of the NIGHT TRAIN family and can’t wait to show you the film.
Other Ways You Can Help
Follow our campaign on Seed & Spark.
Stay connected and spread the word.
Follow and share our social media posts on Instagram.
Send this campaign out to someone you know.
Text, email, anything you can do to get our film out there is a massive help.
Join us over at @nighttrainfilm on Instagram and let’s do this together.
Finally, one last reminder to FOLLOW us here on SEED & SPARK, and check back for updates!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Make-Up
Costs $400
We'll need someone who knows what they're doing in the make-up chair!
Catering
Costs $600
There will be about 20 people working hard for two days. Well fed people are happy people!
Film Festivals
Costs $400
Film festival submissions are one of the main ways to share 'Night Train' with others.
Post Production
Costs $2,000
Your support will ensure this film looks and sounds perfect.
Studio Space Rental
Costs $5,000
We are partnering with ZeroSpace to film on their incredible subway set.
Cast & Crew
Costs $4,750
We are hiring an experienced cast and crew and need help raising fair wages for everyone.
Camera & Equipment
Costs $2,300
Great camera quality and expert lighting elevates a film and allows a seamless watching experience.
Transportation
Costs $550
Help us get all of our equipment, cast and crew from location to location!
Production Insurance
Costs $2,000
We’ll need insurance to make sure things like location and gear are covered, just in case.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
A.J. Serrano
Director, Writer & Editor
A.J. studied film at the University of Southern California and spent his twenties working on film, television, and digital media projects in Los Angeles and New York City. He was raised on a steady diet of Steven Spielberg movies and 90s Nickelodeon cartoons. His work is inspired by a love for hand-drawn animation, playful compositions, and a desire to find the perfect pairing of music and visuals. In 2023 he co-founded the video production company Haunted Basement with his 2 siblings.
Hailey Choi
Producer and Title Designer
Hailey is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker and artist from Los Angeles. Her areas of expertise include video editing and art direction. She dabbles in graphic design, illustration, and loves making things with her hands.
Eric Schleicher
Director of Photography
Eric Schleicher first picked up a camera to film snowboarding in the harshest Midwest winters. That DIY spirit and "can do" work ethic bleeds into his current work, giving him a naturalistic style that falls somewhere between narrative, documentary, and experimental film. He is best known for his work on Matt Fifer's debut feature, Cicada (BFI 2020, Outfest 2020), which had its theatrical release in October of 2021. His commercial work includes campaigns for Burberry, Adidas, Converse, Meta, and McDonalds.
Cairo & Daniel
"Older Boy" and "Younger Boy"
Cairo is best known as a teen actor who does extreme sports for productions like Got Milk, Whistle Sports, and Marinela. He was the recipient of the 2022 Global Child Prodigy Awards in Dubai, and nominated for Best Actor in the comedic short film, Love Eternal.
Daniel was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and is passionate about skateboarding. In 2022, he was asked to be in the Netflix-sponsored short film Sunflower Girl, where he became interested in the production side of filmmaking. This led Daniel to choose a high school program which focuses on developing his film production skills.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
It’s close to midnight in the city. The summer air is heavy with humidity. The sickly yellow glow of a subway lamp illuminates the entrance to a station.
Two teenage boys hurry towards the stairs. They’re old enough to venture into the city by themselves but young enough to worry their parents if they don’t return home at the time they promised.
“We’re gonna be late,” says the younger boy.
“No we’re not. Just follow me,” says the older boy.
The boys descend the steps and into the subway…
Welcome aboard NIGHT TRAIN, a short horror film and an ode to the scary movies and TV shows that shaped my childhood in the 90s. I watched most of them through my fingers, but I still love them.
I’m talking about Goosebumps. Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Witches. The Nightmare Before Christmas.
This is a project I’ve been dreaming up for a while. It’s a blend of many different ideas and interests I’ve had through the years: My fascination with abandoned subway stations. My love and fear of dark rides at amusement parks. And most of all, my desire to make a teen horror film that is actually scary.
I’ve assembled an incredible cast and crew. Our two leads will be played by Daniel and Cairo, teen actors who starred together in the Netflix-sponsored short film Sunflower Girl. Our cinematographer, Eric, shot the feature film Cicada (BFI 2020) as well as ad campaigns for companies such as Burberry, Adidas, and Converse. And our producer, Hailey, is a horror fan with wide connections in the NYC filmmaking community.
Since most of the story takes place in the New York City subway, we are partnering with ZeroSpace, a virtual studio in Brooklyn, to shoot for one day on their subway set. Filming on a set will allow us to control all aspects of the production instead of dealing with all of the unpredictability and noise of an actual subway car.
We plan to shoot the film on the last weekend of September, complete post-production in October, and submit to festivals in the winter.
Your contribution will help move NIGHT TRAIN into production, ensure payment to cast and crew, and allow us to properly finish the film in post-production. Your contribution will pay for:
- Cast and crew
- A safe and smoothly run production
- Gear rentals we don't already have in our kit
- Finalizing sound and picture in post-production
Our ask of $18,400 will help us rent a studio space, pay cast and crew for their work and feed them, rent equipment like a camera and lights, purchase production insurance, and push this film through post-production and into the festival circuit where it can be seen and enjoyed by a large audience.
There are always challenges when making a film. That’s why we have assembled an experienced and talented crew. Each of them offers a unique set of skills and talent that we will combine to creatively solve any production obstacle we face. Your support and financial contributions are vital to this project’s success. If you genuinely want to be a part of our film, whether you’re a friend, family member, colleague, or you just stumbled across our campaign and this idea is speaking to you, I’d love to have you be a part of the NIGHT TRAIN family and can’t wait to show you the film.
Other Ways You Can Help
Follow our campaign on Seed & Spark.
Stay connected and spread the word.
Follow and share our social media posts on Instagram.
Send this campaign out to someone you know.
Text, email, anything you can do to get our film out there is a massive help.
Join us over at @nighttrainfilm on Instagram and let’s do this together.
Finally, one last reminder to FOLLOW us here on SEED & SPARK, and check back for updates!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Make-Up
Costs $400
We'll need someone who knows what they're doing in the make-up chair!
Catering
Costs $600
There will be about 20 people working hard for two days. Well fed people are happy people!
Film Festivals
Costs $400
Film festival submissions are one of the main ways to share 'Night Train' with others.
Post Production
Costs $2,000
Your support will ensure this film looks and sounds perfect.
Studio Space Rental
Costs $5,000
We are partnering with ZeroSpace to film on their incredible subway set.
Cast & Crew
Costs $4,750
We are hiring an experienced cast and crew and need help raising fair wages for everyone.
Camera & Equipment
Costs $2,300
Great camera quality and expert lighting elevates a film and allows a seamless watching experience.
Transportation
Costs $550
Help us get all of our equipment, cast and crew from location to location!
Production Insurance
Costs $2,000
We’ll need insurance to make sure things like location and gear are covered, just in case.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
A.J. Serrano
Director, Writer & Editor
A.J. studied film at the University of Southern California and spent his twenties working on film, television, and digital media projects in Los Angeles and New York City. He was raised on a steady diet of Steven Spielberg movies and 90s Nickelodeon cartoons. His work is inspired by a love for hand-drawn animation, playful compositions, and a desire to find the perfect pairing of music and visuals. In 2023 he co-founded the video production company Haunted Basement with his 2 siblings.
Hailey Choi
Producer and Title Designer
Hailey is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker and artist from Los Angeles. Her areas of expertise include video editing and art direction. She dabbles in graphic design, illustration, and loves making things with her hands.
Eric Schleicher
Director of Photography
Eric Schleicher first picked up a camera to film snowboarding in the harshest Midwest winters. That DIY spirit and "can do" work ethic bleeds into his current work, giving him a naturalistic style that falls somewhere between narrative, documentary, and experimental film. He is best known for his work on Matt Fifer's debut feature, Cicada (BFI 2020, Outfest 2020), which had its theatrical release in October of 2021. His commercial work includes campaigns for Burberry, Adidas, Converse, Meta, and McDonalds.
Cairo & Daniel
"Older Boy" and "Younger Boy"
Cairo is best known as a teen actor who does extreme sports for productions like Got Milk, Whistle Sports, and Marinela. He was the recipient of the 2022 Global Child Prodigy Awards in Dubai, and nominated for Best Actor in the comedic short film, Love Eternal.
Daniel was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and is passionate about skateboarding. In 2022, he was asked to be in the Netflix-sponsored short film Sunflower Girl, where he became interested in the production side of filmmaking. This led Daniel to choose a high school program which focuses on developing his film production skills.