Serenade for Fish
New York City, New York | Film Short
Horror, Experimental
Serenade for Fish is a short absurdist horror film about a girl named Jamie, and her cat named Fish (and some guy named DAD - and MOM’s here too!), all in a nightmare house with a mind of its own. Jamie will do anything to protect Fish - the house is going to test that.
Serenade for Fish
New York City, New York | Film Short
Horror, Experimental
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $9,750 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
40 supporters | followers
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Serenade for Fish is a short absurdist horror film about a girl named Jamie, and her cat named Fish (and some guy named DAD - and MOM’s here too!), all in a nightmare house with a mind of its own. Jamie will do anything to protect Fish - the house is going to test that.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Synopsis:
Jamie, a beat-up teenage girl, struggles with amnesia from a recent head injury she doesn’t remember getting. She finds herself in a bizarre nightmare version of her house - and all she can recall is a feeling that something bad is going to happen to her pet cat, Fish. Fish, a worn-out old puppet reminiscent of a children’s TV character (with the sass to fit), is determined to leave the house to attend a fishing convention, and Jamie insists on joining him.
As Jamie’s head injury blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, the house takes on an absurdist layout. Each door leads to the wrong room, disembodied hands reach out from the furniture, and that pesky classical music keeps getting louder and louder. The kitchen has turned into a sitcom set with DAD running his own Full House-style show and every family member playing a role, whether they want to or not. Jamie and Fish quickly realize they’re trapped in the house as it devolves into a more and more hostile environment intent on separating the two of them.
Will they escape the house? Is the TV talking? And how did Jamie get that bump on her head in the first place? Tune in to Serenade for Fish to uncover these mysteries and more!
Jamie:
Despite the surreal and chaotic environment, Jamie is detached from the severity of her situation: taking everything lightly and often too forgiving. As circumstances become more threatening and she pieces things together, Jamie gets more desperate to escape her situation and protect Fish - going to violent lengths in classic scream queen fashion.
Fish:
Inspired by Tutter from Bear in the Big Blue House, Fish is a cat that swears too much, can’t bottle his temper, and has a sweet tooth for mom’s secret drug stash. Despite his tough exterior, Fish has a soft spot for Jamie, usually defending her more than she defends herself.
Mom:
A disjointed take on the classic TV housewife, MOM is a chipper TV personality in some scenes and a dazed and drugged out threat in others. Between these moments are hints of who she used to be: a warm and nurturing mother who turned to pills under the pressure of her abusive environment.
Dad:
Portrayed through sitcom segments throughout the film, DAD is a darker twist of the archetypal sitcom dad. He has a hyperbolized comedic performance - bordering on overwhelming, and as the story goes on, his subtle maliciousness grows into outright mania and violence.
Why this team? Why make this now?
Coming off of our recent projects together, the Serenade for Fish team consists of recent graduates from NYU and other emerging artists with a strong rapport and synergy. We’re all individuals who push the limits of our respective fields, from experimental camera work to viscerally immersive production design. We like to make things that are weird and cool and fun. We wanted to build on our previous projects and relationships to hit the ground running on a film that welcomes and showcases all of our individual strengths. We’re at that specific point in our careers where we have bold and fresh ideas and the skills to execute them - and with a little support we can make them happen.
A combination of contrasting genres and mediums:
The inspiration for Serenade for Fish comes from a large variety of mediums - from starting as a play, to its influence from video games in how the characters approach their obstacles, to the TV sequences heavily influenced by sitcoms like All in the Family and Full House. We want to take the strengths of each respective medium and make this into a product of them all to strive to build a unique narrative structure.
SFF pulls across film eras and genres - eliciting the nostalgic charm of 80s Spielbergian films while also tapping into childhood fears through Analog horror, a post-internet genre popularized by small YouTube creators that utilizes the inherent abnormality of old media formats like VHS to create a sense of unease. Additionally, the film plays off the uncanny discomfort of puppets (ex. The Dark Crystal) combined with their genuine charm and absurdist tone (ex. Muppets). These contrasting genres are held together by their mission to tell a timeless story of a girl and her cat.
A Return to Practical Effects:
Everyone on the team is enchanted by time-honored filmmaking tactics - all of us devout loyalists to practical effects. The extra time, effort, and love put into practicals is the root of independent filmmaking, and we want the film to be a love letter to these foundational techniques that inspired us greatly. As a result, we have hired a larger art team to cover the intricate sets and props, consulted multiple puppet companies on best practices in directing a puppeteer, and hired an Emmy Award-winning puppeteer to design and fabricate Fish.
Note from the Writer/Director:
I wrote Serenade for Fish as a play in 2019 to reflect on my relationship with my childhood cat and my first experience with grief during the slow and disturbing process of her death. I love scripts that pay homage to familiar tropes while subverting their expectations in a jarring way, so the play was both snarky and absurdist, yet unsettling and graphic. I found that this combination of contrasting genres and tones served as a powerful extended metaphor for processing abuse and grief.
Like with any writer and their work, there's a lot of me within this piece, but there’s also a universality to the timeless, enduring themes and visuals we’re implementing. Film is the closest we get to showing each other our dreams - that unearthly feeling that only the screen can evoke. This film has become my way of reaching out to the audience and saying - in the most personal way I can - we’ve shared the same dreams, we've shared the same nightmares. Let me show you one of mine.
Our Plan:
___________________________
October
Shoot and Wrap Production
November - December
Editing
Color Correction
Music Composition
January
Show rough cuts to a Focus Group for feedback (check out our incentives!)
Apply to film festivals (especially the horror-loving ones!)
2025 Fish Calendar Release! (check out our incentives!)
February
Premiere the film's final cut in NYC.
Continue to apply to programs and festivals.
____________________________
So you're interested...
Like what you saw - or even mildly vaguely sort of intrigued the slightest bit? Contributing to our campaign is the best way you can help us get this movie on its feet. Any amount, no matter how much, will play a vital role in the quality of our film. When you support Serenade for Fish you also invest in the future of the team behind it. Short films like this help us showcase our talent for more prospective jobs, substantially beef up our portfolios, and give us priceless material to use for fellowships, grants, and even grad program applications.
Just as helpful as contributing is spreading the word about our movie to friends, family, coworkers, dogs, cats, inanimate objects in your house - anyone you'd like. Every person you introduce to the movie opens up a million more opportunities for us.
You can find us on instagram @serenadeforfish
And a huge thank you to Seed & Spark for hosting our campaign on their wonderful website, and for helping us get the best shot at reaching our goal.
We're so excited to show you this world - and we can't wait to get started.
With Gratitude,
Belle & the Serenade for Fish Team
Disclaimer: Many images used are not the property of the Serenade for Fish team and are present solely to demonstrate inspiration:
- Labyrinth, Dir. Jim Henson; Don't Hug Me I'm Scared, Created by Rebecca Sloan, Joseph Pelling; It, Dir. Andy Muschietti; Bones and All, Dir. Luca Guadagnino; Stranger Things, Created by The Duffer Brothers; Bear in the Big Blue House, Created by Mitchell Kriegman; The Hours, Dir. Stephen Daldry; Memento, Dir. Christopher Nolan; Channel Zero, Created by Nick Antosca; Hereditary, Dir. Ari Aster; Mad Men, Created by Matthew Weiner; Home Improvement, Created by Matt Williams; Works from Youtube Channel: Boisvert; Suspiria (2018), Dir. Luca Guadagnino; Opal, Dir. Jack Stauber; Brand New Cherry Flavor, Dir. Nick Antosca, Lenore Zion; Poltergeist, Dir. Tobe Hooper; Skinamarink, Dir. Kyle Edward Ball.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Design
Costs $1,500
These funds will go towards our PD team so they can bring Fish and Jamie's world to life.
Fund for Fish
Costs $1,500
Help contribute to our fund to bring Fish to life! Designed and fabricated by Emmy-Award winning Puppeteer, David Bizzaro!
Craft Services
Costs $2,500
Set days are long and demanding. We want to ensure our crew is well-fed so they can work their movie magic.
Housing and Transportation
Costs $2,900
This would cover accommodations for our hardworking cast and crew, and our precious camera equipment
Camera Rentals
Costs $2,300
We have an incredible camera team and we want to give them the tools to match.
Festival Submission Costs
Costs $200
We want to share this story with the world. This fund helps cover all Festival App costs.
Serenade for who? what now?
Costs $500
You can't have Serenade for Fish without some killer music. Help us cover licensing expenses for an original score.
Post-Production
Costs $600
This money would go toward our fund for color correction, sound design, and post production needs.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
All hailing from colleges around New York, the crew consists of a tight network of talented post-grads who have a long history working together - some going as far back as High School.
Check out our Instagram page @serenadeforfish to see the rest of our crew announcements!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Synopsis:
Jamie, a beat-up teenage girl, struggles with amnesia from a recent head injury she doesn’t remember getting. She finds herself in a bizarre nightmare version of her house - and all she can recall is a feeling that something bad is going to happen to her pet cat, Fish. Fish, a worn-out old puppet reminiscent of a children’s TV character (with the sass to fit), is determined to leave the house to attend a fishing convention, and Jamie insists on joining him.
As Jamie’s head injury blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, the house takes on an absurdist layout. Each door leads to the wrong room, disembodied hands reach out from the furniture, and that pesky classical music keeps getting louder and louder. The kitchen has turned into a sitcom set with DAD running his own Full House-style show and every family member playing a role, whether they want to or not. Jamie and Fish quickly realize they’re trapped in the house as it devolves into a more and more hostile environment intent on separating the two of them.
Will they escape the house? Is the TV talking? And how did Jamie get that bump on her head in the first place? Tune in to Serenade for Fish to uncover these mysteries and more!
Jamie:
Despite the surreal and chaotic environment, Jamie is detached from the severity of her situation: taking everything lightly and often too forgiving. As circumstances become more threatening and she pieces things together, Jamie gets more desperate to escape her situation and protect Fish - going to violent lengths in classic scream queen fashion.
Fish:
Inspired by Tutter from Bear in the Big Blue House, Fish is a cat that swears too much, can’t bottle his temper, and has a sweet tooth for mom’s secret drug stash. Despite his tough exterior, Fish has a soft spot for Jamie, usually defending her more than she defends herself.
Mom:
A disjointed take on the classic TV housewife, MOM is a chipper TV personality in some scenes and a dazed and drugged out threat in others. Between these moments are hints of who she used to be: a warm and nurturing mother who turned to pills under the pressure of her abusive environment.
Dad:
Portrayed through sitcom segments throughout the film, DAD is a darker twist of the archetypal sitcom dad. He has a hyperbolized comedic performance - bordering on overwhelming, and as the story goes on, his subtle maliciousness grows into outright mania and violence.
Why this team? Why make this now?
Coming off of our recent projects together, the Serenade for Fish team consists of recent graduates from NYU and other emerging artists with a strong rapport and synergy. We’re all individuals who push the limits of our respective fields, from experimental camera work to viscerally immersive production design. We like to make things that are weird and cool and fun. We wanted to build on our previous projects and relationships to hit the ground running on a film that welcomes and showcases all of our individual strengths. We’re at that specific point in our careers where we have bold and fresh ideas and the skills to execute them - and with a little support we can make them happen.
A combination of contrasting genres and mediums:
The inspiration for Serenade for Fish comes from a large variety of mediums - from starting as a play, to its influence from video games in how the characters approach their obstacles, to the TV sequences heavily influenced by sitcoms like All in the Family and Full House. We want to take the strengths of each respective medium and make this into a product of them all to strive to build a unique narrative structure.
SFF pulls across film eras and genres - eliciting the nostalgic charm of 80s Spielbergian films while also tapping into childhood fears through Analog horror, a post-internet genre popularized by small YouTube creators that utilizes the inherent abnormality of old media formats like VHS to create a sense of unease. Additionally, the film plays off the uncanny discomfort of puppets (ex. The Dark Crystal) combined with their genuine charm and absurdist tone (ex. Muppets). These contrasting genres are held together by their mission to tell a timeless story of a girl and her cat.
A Return to Practical Effects:
Everyone on the team is enchanted by time-honored filmmaking tactics - all of us devout loyalists to practical effects. The extra time, effort, and love put into practicals is the root of independent filmmaking, and we want the film to be a love letter to these foundational techniques that inspired us greatly. As a result, we have hired a larger art team to cover the intricate sets and props, consulted multiple puppet companies on best practices in directing a puppeteer, and hired an Emmy Award-winning puppeteer to design and fabricate Fish.
Note from the Writer/Director:
I wrote Serenade for Fish as a play in 2019 to reflect on my relationship with my childhood cat and my first experience with grief during the slow and disturbing process of her death. I love scripts that pay homage to familiar tropes while subverting their expectations in a jarring way, so the play was both snarky and absurdist, yet unsettling and graphic. I found that this combination of contrasting genres and tones served as a powerful extended metaphor for processing abuse and grief.
Like with any writer and their work, there's a lot of me within this piece, but there’s also a universality to the timeless, enduring themes and visuals we’re implementing. Film is the closest we get to showing each other our dreams - that unearthly feeling that only the screen can evoke. This film has become my way of reaching out to the audience and saying - in the most personal way I can - we’ve shared the same dreams, we've shared the same nightmares. Let me show you one of mine.
Our Plan:
___________________________
October
Shoot and Wrap Production
November - December
Editing
Color Correction
Music Composition
January
Show rough cuts to a Focus Group for feedback (check out our incentives!)
Apply to film festivals (especially the horror-loving ones!)
2025 Fish Calendar Release! (check out our incentives!)
February
Premiere the film's final cut in NYC.
Continue to apply to programs and festivals.
____________________________
So you're interested...
Like what you saw - or even mildly vaguely sort of intrigued the slightest bit? Contributing to our campaign is the best way you can help us get this movie on its feet. Any amount, no matter how much, will play a vital role in the quality of our film. When you support Serenade for Fish you also invest in the future of the team behind it. Short films like this help us showcase our talent for more prospective jobs, substantially beef up our portfolios, and give us priceless material to use for fellowships, grants, and even grad program applications.
Just as helpful as contributing is spreading the word about our movie to friends, family, coworkers, dogs, cats, inanimate objects in your house - anyone you'd like. Every person you introduce to the movie opens up a million more opportunities for us.
You can find us on instagram @serenadeforfish
And a huge thank you to Seed & Spark for hosting our campaign on their wonderful website, and for helping us get the best shot at reaching our goal.
We're so excited to show you this world - and we can't wait to get started.
With Gratitude,
Belle & the Serenade for Fish Team
Disclaimer: Many images used are not the property of the Serenade for Fish team and are present solely to demonstrate inspiration:
- Labyrinth, Dir. Jim Henson; Don't Hug Me I'm Scared, Created by Rebecca Sloan, Joseph Pelling; It, Dir. Andy Muschietti; Bones and All, Dir. Luca Guadagnino; Stranger Things, Created by The Duffer Brothers; Bear in the Big Blue House, Created by Mitchell Kriegman; The Hours, Dir. Stephen Daldry; Memento, Dir. Christopher Nolan; Channel Zero, Created by Nick Antosca; Hereditary, Dir. Ari Aster; Mad Men, Created by Matthew Weiner; Home Improvement, Created by Matt Williams; Works from Youtube Channel: Boisvert; Suspiria (2018), Dir. Luca Guadagnino; Opal, Dir. Jack Stauber; Brand New Cherry Flavor, Dir. Nick Antosca, Lenore Zion; Poltergeist, Dir. Tobe Hooper; Skinamarink, Dir. Kyle Edward Ball.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Design
Costs $1,500
These funds will go towards our PD team so they can bring Fish and Jamie's world to life.
Fund for Fish
Costs $1,500
Help contribute to our fund to bring Fish to life! Designed and fabricated by Emmy-Award winning Puppeteer, David Bizzaro!
Craft Services
Costs $2,500
Set days are long and demanding. We want to ensure our crew is well-fed so they can work their movie magic.
Housing and Transportation
Costs $2,900
This would cover accommodations for our hardworking cast and crew, and our precious camera equipment
Camera Rentals
Costs $2,300
We have an incredible camera team and we want to give them the tools to match.
Festival Submission Costs
Costs $200
We want to share this story with the world. This fund helps cover all Festival App costs.
Serenade for who? what now?
Costs $500
You can't have Serenade for Fish without some killer music. Help us cover licensing expenses for an original score.
Post-Production
Costs $600
This money would go toward our fund for color correction, sound design, and post production needs.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
All hailing from colleges around New York, the crew consists of a tight network of talented post-grads who have a long history working together - some going as far back as High School.