Runner
Chicago, Illinois | Film Short
Drama, Thriller
RUNNER is quiet thriller written, directed by, & starring first-time filmmaker Clare Cooney. RUNNER was filmed for just $900 & went on to play at 15 film festivals & win 6 awards. In order to release RUNNER online & share it with the world, we need your help with finishing funds & music licensing!
Runner
Chicago, Illinois | Film Short
Drama, Thriller
1 Campaigns | Illinois, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $5,825 for distribution. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
102 supporters | followers
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RUNNER is quiet thriller written, directed by, & starring first-time filmmaker Clare Cooney. RUNNER was filmed for just $900 & went on to play at 15 film festivals & win 6 awards. In order to release RUNNER online & share it with the world, we need your help with finishing funds & music licensing!
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
RUNNER is now released online! Watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PKtGVJEpdg
"While out for her daily jog, Becca cuts through an alleyway and finds herself in the periphery of a couple's heated confrontation. Suddenly becoming an unintentional and unwilling witness to a violent incident, Becca must decide between intervention and her own safety."
I was was taking a jog on a beautiful fall day in Chicago. It was idyllic -- the sun shimmering through the orange leaves & dream-like music playing in my ears, when I turned the corner into an alley & stumbled into an unsettling situation involving a man down the alley. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, & my spidey-senses told me to run in the other direction. In an instant, the warmth & magic of the run was sucked away & the energy of the day changed entirely, but the same song was still pumping in my headphones. The song felt different than it had seconds before, & I found that tonal shift fascinating. That moment stuck with me for days afterwards. Nothing happened to me in the alley that day, but it could have—and it has before. I took that tonal shift, that eery, suspended feeling, that "what could have been,” and literally ran with it.
In RUNNER, I tell the story of a woman living with trauma who is dealing with forces, externally and internally, which cause her to avoid reporting what she has seen. The film captures the inherent power dynamic between men and women in our society, and explores that feeling of being haunted or controlled by a man--a feeling many women are all too familiar with. A man doesn’t have to be physically abusive in order to pull on your mental state, cause you fear and be an intimidating factor in your life. The subtle ways that men wield power is more interesting to me than a killer with a shotgun.
I served as writer, director, editor, producer, and lead actor on the project. Our production budget of $900 came directly from my pocket and we filmed for just two days. My amazingly talented cast and crew all worked for free to bring this story to life. I didn't know if this scrappy, no-budget film would ever be seen by an large audience. This was my first film, and I didn't know what to expect. I've been amazed at the response we've received. RUNNER has played at 15 film festivals across the country, including the Academy-Qualifying Atlanta Film Festival, where I was nominated for the "Filmmaker-to-Watch" Award. We also played at The Chicago Critics Film Festival (WINNER, Audience Award), Mill Valley Film Festival, Midwest Independent Film Festival (WINNER, Best Actress & Best Short Film), Sidewalk Film Fesival, Windy City Film Festival (WINNER, Best of Fest), Atltanta Shortsfest (WINNER, Best Drama Short), and Fairhope Film Festival (WINNER of Best USA Short Film).
I'm so thrilled we're finally at a place where we're ready to release RUNNER! We've been accepted to the #1 Youtube channel for films, Omeleto, where RUNNER will be premiering online in late April 2019! But we have a couple final steps -- we need to pay for the music rights, we need to polish up our final sound mix and score, and we need to put our best foot forward while marketing the film leading up to the release. If you've been following RUNNER's festival run and have been wanting to see the film, your time has come! We ask that you donate the amount that you would spend on a movie ticket, $10, in order to support RUNNER being released, free to the public, online. If you're able to give more, well, all the better! :) Every dollar donated will be going toward the hard costs of releasing this film.
To read more about RUNNER's journey, check out some of our press!
TimeOut Chicago Review: https://www.timeout.com/chicago/news/clare-cooneys-runner-is-a-highlight-of-the-chicago-critics-film-festival-050218
IndieOutlook Article: https://indie-outlook.com/2017/11/17/clare-cooney-on-runner/
Roger Ebert Thumbnail: https://www.rogerebert.com/thumbnails/thumbnails-111717
ReelChicago.com: https://reelchicago.com/article/clare-cooneys-runner-chicago-critics-film-festival/
Chicago Cinema Review: http://www.chicagocinemacircuit.com/shorts-program-i-1
Keeping It Reel Interview: https://keeping-it-reel.com/2018/05/02/interview-with-runner-actor-writer-director-clare-cooney/
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Music Licensing
Costs $1,000
RUNNER begins with an extremely powerful music sequence. We have the rights, we just need to pay!
Final Sound & Score
Costs $300
The sound in RUNNER is critical to the story. Help us fund the final mix & score for distribution!
Marketing Materials
Costs $300
Help this film make as big a splash as possible with killer marketing and publicity materials!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Clare Cooney - Director, writer, editor, & lead actor - Clare is a Chicago-based filmmaker and actor. A first-time filmmaker, Clare directed, wrote, edited, & stars in Runner. She is a "Filmmaker to Watch" nominee from the Academy-Qualifying Atlanta Film Fest, and won “Best Actress” for her performance in Runner at the Best of the Midwest Award 2018. Recent acting film/tv credits: Widows (Steve McQueen), Chicago PD (NBC), Hot Date (Pop TV), Soul Sessions (Vince Gaffney), & Rendezvous in Chicago (Michael Glover Smith). She is a School at Steppenwolf graduate and is represented by Gray Talent Group. She is the Artistic Director of Elevated Films Chicago. Clare is also the casting director for Theater Wit, and does casting for independent film/tv projects of Chicago. In addition, Clare recently directed the pilot for a series called Dad Man Walking, created by John O’Brien.
Shane Simmon - Producer, actor - Shane is a Chicago-based producer and actor. He recently produced Kendall Goldberg’s debut feature WHEN JEFF TRIED TO SAVE THE WORLD, as well as Stephen Cone’s HENRY GAMBLE’S BIRTHDAY PARTY. Both films screened at festivals worldwide, theatrically in the US, and are now available on Amazon, iTunes, and VOD platforms. Shane also recently produced a music video/PSA for Andrew Bird’s “Pulaski,” commissioned by Everytown for Gun Safety, which follows a middle schooler through a day in his life, showing us the stark reality caused by gun violence that many children now face daily. Other favorite projects include Michael Glover Smith's MERCURY IN RETROGRADE (in its festival run), co-writer/directors Marty Schousboe & Morgan Lord’s PARTY TIME PARTY TIME (on Amazon/Vimeo/iTunes VOD), and the Stephen Cone-directed music video “Bending Light” for acclaimed Chicago band Sexy Fights. Originally from Iowa, Shane began his producing and acting career in the Quad Cities with co-writer/directors Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (A QUIET PLACE, NIGHTLIGHT). The team collaborated on feature films in high school and college, and later a pilot for MTV.
Jason Chiu (DP) -- Jason is a DP currently residing in Chicago, IL. He most recently filmed the first season to a new Adult Swim series called "Joe Pera Talks with You". It released in Spring 2018 to critical acclaim. The LA Times "found art in the 11-minute episodes", Polygon called it "Adult Swim's best new show" and mentioned "each episode is shot beautifully", and Indiewire says it'll "make you happy to be alive”. In addition, Jason has extensive DP experience on commercial and feature film projects. He shot Stephen Cone's "Henry Gamble's Birthday Party" which screened at the BAMCinemaFest, Maryland International Film Festival and the Chicago International Film Festival. He has DPed commercial projects for brands like Nissan, Samsung, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Feeding America, and Everytown for Gun Safety.
Will Allan - Actor - Will is an accomplished Chicago stage actor (Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, TimeLine Theatre Company) whose film & tv credits include Runner, Chicago Justice and Chicago Fire. He was nominated for a 2017 Joseph Jefferson Equity Award for Solo Performance for "Circumference of a Squirrel." He is a graduate of North Central College and attended the Moscow Art Theatre School.
Travis A. Knight - Actor - Travis is a Chicago-based film, tv, and theater actor. Film/television credits include: Runner, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party, and Mind Games. In Chicago, he has worked with Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Red Orchid, and Drury Lane Theatre, and regionally he has worked with Forward Theater Company, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, In Tandem Theatre. Uprooted Theatre, and Renaissance Theaterworks. He has also spent five seasons with American Players Theatre.
Maggie Scrantom - Production Design - Maggie is a Chicago based actress, social justice educator, and filmmaker best known for Proven Innocent, Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., Convergence, and Atoms of Ashes. She grew up primarily in various parts of Georgia and Tennessee though she also spent a few years in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She's studied Improv at Chicago's IO, Shakespeare at London's LAMDA, Practical Aesthetics at New York City's Atlantic Acting School, and graduated from The University of Iowa with honors in Theatre and Literature. Maggie also teaches sexual violence prevention in the navy with Catharsis Productions.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
RUNNER is now released online! Watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PKtGVJEpdg
"While out for her daily jog, Becca cuts through an alleyway and finds herself in the periphery of a couple's heated confrontation. Suddenly becoming an unintentional and unwilling witness to a violent incident, Becca must decide between intervention and her own safety."
I was was taking a jog on a beautiful fall day in Chicago. It was idyllic -- the sun shimmering through the orange leaves & dream-like music playing in my ears, when I turned the corner into an alley & stumbled into an unsettling situation involving a man down the alley. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, & my spidey-senses told me to run in the other direction. In an instant, the warmth & magic of the run was sucked away & the energy of the day changed entirely, but the same song was still pumping in my headphones. The song felt different than it had seconds before, & I found that tonal shift fascinating. That moment stuck with me for days afterwards. Nothing happened to me in the alley that day, but it could have—and it has before. I took that tonal shift, that eery, suspended feeling, that "what could have been,” and literally ran with it.
In RUNNER, I tell the story of a woman living with trauma who is dealing with forces, externally and internally, which cause her to avoid reporting what she has seen. The film captures the inherent power dynamic between men and women in our society, and explores that feeling of being haunted or controlled by a man--a feeling many women are all too familiar with. A man doesn’t have to be physically abusive in order to pull on your mental state, cause you fear and be an intimidating factor in your life. The subtle ways that men wield power is more interesting to me than a killer with a shotgun.
I served as writer, director, editor, producer, and lead actor on the project. Our production budget of $900 came directly from my pocket and we filmed for just two days. My amazingly talented cast and crew all worked for free to bring this story to life. I didn't know if this scrappy, no-budget film would ever be seen by an large audience. This was my first film, and I didn't know what to expect. I've been amazed at the response we've received. RUNNER has played at 15 film festivals across the country, including the Academy-Qualifying Atlanta Film Festival, where I was nominated for the "Filmmaker-to-Watch" Award. We also played at The Chicago Critics Film Festival (WINNER, Audience Award), Mill Valley Film Festival, Midwest Independent Film Festival (WINNER, Best Actress & Best Short Film), Sidewalk Film Fesival, Windy City Film Festival (WINNER, Best of Fest), Atltanta Shortsfest (WINNER, Best Drama Short), and Fairhope Film Festival (WINNER of Best USA Short Film).
I'm so thrilled we're finally at a place where we're ready to release RUNNER! We've been accepted to the #1 Youtube channel for films, Omeleto, where RUNNER will be premiering online in late April 2019! But we have a couple final steps -- we need to pay for the music rights, we need to polish up our final sound mix and score, and we need to put our best foot forward while marketing the film leading up to the release. If you've been following RUNNER's festival run and have been wanting to see the film, your time has come! We ask that you donate the amount that you would spend on a movie ticket, $10, in order to support RUNNER being released, free to the public, online. If you're able to give more, well, all the better! :) Every dollar donated will be going toward the hard costs of releasing this film.
To read more about RUNNER's journey, check out some of our press!
TimeOut Chicago Review: https://www.timeout.com/chicago/news/clare-cooneys-runner-is-a-highlight-of-the-chicago-critics-film-festival-050218
IndieOutlook Article: https://indie-outlook.com/2017/11/17/clare-cooney-on-runner/
Roger Ebert Thumbnail: https://www.rogerebert.com/thumbnails/thumbnails-111717
ReelChicago.com: https://reelchicago.com/article/clare-cooneys-runner-chicago-critics-film-festival/
Chicago Cinema Review: http://www.chicagocinemacircuit.com/shorts-program-i-1
Keeping It Reel Interview: https://keeping-it-reel.com/2018/05/02/interview-with-runner-actor-writer-director-clare-cooney/
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Music Licensing
Costs $1,000
RUNNER begins with an extremely powerful music sequence. We have the rights, we just need to pay!
Final Sound & Score
Costs $300
The sound in RUNNER is critical to the story. Help us fund the final mix & score for distribution!
Marketing Materials
Costs $300
Help this film make as big a splash as possible with killer marketing and publicity materials!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Clare Cooney - Director, writer, editor, & lead actor - Clare is a Chicago-based filmmaker and actor. A first-time filmmaker, Clare directed, wrote, edited, & stars in Runner. She is a "Filmmaker to Watch" nominee from the Academy-Qualifying Atlanta Film Fest, and won “Best Actress” for her performance in Runner at the Best of the Midwest Award 2018. Recent acting film/tv credits: Widows (Steve McQueen), Chicago PD (NBC), Hot Date (Pop TV), Soul Sessions (Vince Gaffney), & Rendezvous in Chicago (Michael Glover Smith). She is a School at Steppenwolf graduate and is represented by Gray Talent Group. She is the Artistic Director of Elevated Films Chicago. Clare is also the casting director for Theater Wit, and does casting for independent film/tv projects of Chicago. In addition, Clare recently directed the pilot for a series called Dad Man Walking, created by John O’Brien.
Shane Simmon - Producer, actor - Shane is a Chicago-based producer and actor. He recently produced Kendall Goldberg’s debut feature WHEN JEFF TRIED TO SAVE THE WORLD, as well as Stephen Cone’s HENRY GAMBLE’S BIRTHDAY PARTY. Both films screened at festivals worldwide, theatrically in the US, and are now available on Amazon, iTunes, and VOD platforms. Shane also recently produced a music video/PSA for Andrew Bird’s “Pulaski,” commissioned by Everytown for Gun Safety, which follows a middle schooler through a day in his life, showing us the stark reality caused by gun violence that many children now face daily. Other favorite projects include Michael Glover Smith's MERCURY IN RETROGRADE (in its festival run), co-writer/directors Marty Schousboe & Morgan Lord’s PARTY TIME PARTY TIME (on Amazon/Vimeo/iTunes VOD), and the Stephen Cone-directed music video “Bending Light” for acclaimed Chicago band Sexy Fights. Originally from Iowa, Shane began his producing and acting career in the Quad Cities with co-writer/directors Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (A QUIET PLACE, NIGHTLIGHT). The team collaborated on feature films in high school and college, and later a pilot for MTV.
Jason Chiu (DP) -- Jason is a DP currently residing in Chicago, IL. He most recently filmed the first season to a new Adult Swim series called "Joe Pera Talks with You". It released in Spring 2018 to critical acclaim. The LA Times "found art in the 11-minute episodes", Polygon called it "Adult Swim's best new show" and mentioned "each episode is shot beautifully", and Indiewire says it'll "make you happy to be alive”. In addition, Jason has extensive DP experience on commercial and feature film projects. He shot Stephen Cone's "Henry Gamble's Birthday Party" which screened at the BAMCinemaFest, Maryland International Film Festival and the Chicago International Film Festival. He has DPed commercial projects for brands like Nissan, Samsung, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Feeding America, and Everytown for Gun Safety.
Will Allan - Actor - Will is an accomplished Chicago stage actor (Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, TimeLine Theatre Company) whose film & tv credits include Runner, Chicago Justice and Chicago Fire. He was nominated for a 2017 Joseph Jefferson Equity Award for Solo Performance for "Circumference of a Squirrel." He is a graduate of North Central College and attended the Moscow Art Theatre School.
Travis A. Knight - Actor - Travis is a Chicago-based film, tv, and theater actor. Film/television credits include: Runner, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party, and Mind Games. In Chicago, he has worked with Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Red Orchid, and Drury Lane Theatre, and regionally he has worked with Forward Theater Company, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, In Tandem Theatre. Uprooted Theatre, and Renaissance Theaterworks. He has also spent five seasons with American Players Theatre.
Maggie Scrantom - Production Design - Maggie is a Chicago based actress, social justice educator, and filmmaker best known for Proven Innocent, Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., Convergence, and Atoms of Ashes. She grew up primarily in various parts of Georgia and Tennessee though she also spent a few years in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She's studied Improv at Chicago's IO, Shakespeare at London's LAMDA, Practical Aesthetics at New York City's Atlantic Acting School, and graduated from The University of Iowa with honors in Theatre and Literature. Maggie also teaches sexual violence prevention in the navy with Catharsis Productions.