Specter
San Francisco, California | Film Short
Horror, Film-Noir
Specter is a Fatalist Horror short set against the radioactive histories of the San Francisco Bay.
Specter
San Francisco, California | Film Short
Horror, Film-Noir
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $12,180 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
47 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Specter is a Fatalist Horror short set against the radioactive histories of the San Francisco Bay.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Specter is about friendship, loss, and the shadows history leaves behind.
When Henry sets out to find his missing best friend, his journey becomes more than just a search—it becomes a confrontation with the forgotten past that lingers off the coast of San Francisco, on the Farallon Islands. Shot through Henry’s lens, the film blends tones both classic and modern, pulling us deeper into a mystery that feels unsettlingly close to home.
This isn’t just another horror short. Specter is designed to leave you with that quiet recognition—the sense that the story on screen mirrors the dread we feel in our own lives, when we see the injustices around us, but are paralyzed by powerlessness.
This film is being made by a team of independent, passionate filmmakers who believe in the power of community-driven storytelling.
At the helm is director and writer Sabrina Ghidossi, whose work has been recognized by Coverfly, named a Top 20 Horror Script of the Month, and featured at several Bay Area festivals. Alongside Sabrina is a crew of artists and technicians who have worked on everything from SFFILM Residency projects to Netflix and Universal productions.
What excites us most isn’t just our résumés or laurels—it’s the chance to tell a story that pushes horror in a new direction. We are Bay Area filmmakers through and through, and this project is fueled by the collective energy and artistry of our community.
Behind the story of Specter lies a chilling truth. For three decades, the waters just off San Francisco were used as a dumping ground for radioactive waste. Thousands of barrels and irradiated ships were sunk near the Farallon Islands, their contents left largely unexamined to this day.
While this is not a documentary, this reality shapes the fabric of the film. The unease in Specter is rooted in real history, a reminder of the ways neglect and secrecy leave marks that never quite fade. By building the horror of this story on a foundation of fact, we’re creating a film that feels disturbingly possible.
When you support Specter, you’re helping us bring an ambitious, socially resonant horror story to life.
Your contribution doesn’t just fund a production. It invests in local artists, keeps indie filmmaking alive in the Bay Area, and gives you a chance to literally join the story. Through rewards like Edwin’s Log, backers can become part of the canon of the film itself. Whether you can give $10 or $1,000, every dollar makes this project possible, and every share helps spread the word further.
- $15 Your Name in the Credits
- Your name in our short film's end credits.
- $25 Special Thank You
- Your name in the credits + a mention in our story + a private link to watch the film online once it premieres.
- $50 – Special Thank You
- Your name in the credits + a private link to watch the film online once it premieres. Be part of Specter’s story.
- $75 – Premiere Shoutout
- All previous rewards + a personalized shoutout on our Instagram story + one ticket to the San Francisco premiere.
- $100 – Poster & BTS Access
- All previous rewards + an exclusive signed poster + access to behind-the-scenes photos, videos, and concept art.
- $250 – Director’s Shoutout
- All previous rewards + a personalized video thank-you from our director, delivered via our campaign story.
- $500 – Early Screener
- All previous rewards + an exclusive streaming link to watch Specter before its public premiere. See it first!
- $750 – Edwin's Log (4 Available)
- All previous rewards + your name integrated into Edwin’s Log—our in-world Instagram story. You’ll forever become part of the canon. (Limited to 4).
- $1,000 – Associate Producer Package
- All previous rewards + Associate Producer credit on IMDb + one premiere ticket + a hero prop from set (yes, even the infamous radioactive seagull egg).
- $2,500 – Producer Package
- All previous rewards + Producer credit on IMDb + two premiere tickets + a hero prop + a voucher for a one-night stay in a cozy cabin near Yosemite Valley (a cabin, just like Edwin's) in Twain Harte, California.
- $5,000 – Executive Producer Retreat
- All previous rewards + Executive Producer credit on IMDb + a voucher for a three-night stay at cabin near Yosemite Valley in Twain Harte, California + a Yosemite National Park day pass. A once-in-a-lifetime retreat in nature, just two hours from San Francisco.
We are raising $12,000 to bring Specter to life, and we want you to know exactly how those funds will be used.
The largest portion goes toward paying our cast and crew fairly, making sure that the people who dedicate their time and talent are supported. Another significant part covers the rental of cameras, sound, and lighting equipment, which gives us the tools to achieve the cinematic precision this story demands.
From there, we will invest in production design, costumes and practical SFX to build the eerie, lived-in world of the Farallon Islands. Funds also cover locations, transportation, and shooting logistics. Once filming is complete, post-production will carry the story through editing, sound, and color, ensuring the film leaves a lasting impression. Finally, a portion of the budget is set aside for festival submissions and distribution, so Specter can reach audiences far and wide.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Catering & Craft Services
Costs $950
Feeding cast & crew is essential to guarantee their well-being. One of the essentials of an indie project, sourced from SF small businesses.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $3,500
Your contributions will additionally help us with equipment rentals, allowing us to bring to life our distinct visual tone and style.
Cast & Crew Wages
Costs $2,500
We are committed to fairly compensating our cast and crew and in turn supporting the folks who make the Bay Area's indie scene possible.
Post-Production Services
Costs $2,000
Your contributions will additionally go towards properly financing our hardworking editorial team to get our film to the finish line.
Festival Fees
Costs $600
Our desire is for this film to reach as many audiences as possible and spark conversations on a local and national level.
Location Fees
Costs $1,500
Your contributions will additionally help us in acquiring the proper permits and cover location fees to help form the world of our script.
SFX
Costs $950
We need funds for an SFX artist to bring "the Specters" to life - haunting, barnacled husks of men, warped by the radiation on the island.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Sabrina Ghidossi
Writer/Director
Sabrina Ghidossi is an Argentine-American queer writer, producer and director, working in the Bay Area filmmaking scene for over six years. Delving into her diverse cultural background, Sabrina pulls from vulnerable personal experiences to inform her works. Her focus is the horror film genre as an instrument to explore complex social issues. Having grown up in Argentina and moved to San Francisco to pursue her film education, her filmmaking spirit combines experimental artistic approaches (skills gained from her time at SFSU, mentored under film legend Greta Snider), and DIY indie adaptability (from years working in the production department on projects with folks from all over the Bay Area). Her short film "Senility" was featured at the 2024 Roxie Mixtape (at the historical SF Roxie theater), San Francisco's Another Hole in the Head, and the Bolinas Film Festival. She has also been featured as a semi-finalist at the Cinequest Screenwriting Competition of 2024. Sabrina also runs workshops on experimental celluloid filmmaking, where students up-cycle discarded reels of 35mm film, and intervene to turn them into an entirely new piece of media.
Tajianna Okechukwu
Creative & Cultural Consultant
Tajianna Okechukwu is an actor and filmmaker based in the Bay Area, reclaiming the ancestral, the magical, and the unapologetically Black. She earned a double degree in Acting and Film & TV Studies from Azusa Pacific University. She has worked with companies like PBS, Google, A24, Marvel Studios, and more. She was the Video Projections Designer for The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body and stage-managed several theatre productions. Her film Cracks in the Foundation earned Best Direction at WILDsound and screened at UCLAxFilmFest. Her script HERITAGE was featured in Betti Ono’s The Next 15 Minutes: Full Spectrum Futures showcase, a live staged reading highlighting Bay Area sci-fi writer-directors. The project emerged from her selection as a writing fellow in the Justice For My Sister BIPOC Screenwriting Lab, an incubator for visionary POC writers crafting futuristic narratives. Tajianna is passionate about avant-garde storytelling that aims to shake culture and shift paradigms in society.
Stefano Gonzalez
Producer
Stefano Gonzalez is a trans Latinx producer originally from New York, where he taught video production to high school students. After moving to the Bay Area, Stefano completed his MFA in Motion Pictures & Television. Working in the film industry for over ten years, Stefano's resume includes work on Outerlands (2025 - SXSW Official Selection), Insecure (Season 5), Matrix Resurrections (2021), and Do The Fit? (2016- Cannes Short Film Corner). He has also served as a juror for the renowned Frameline Completion Fund (2020) and Afro-Comic Con (2022). He is the CEO of Transgress Studios LLC, a video and film production company designed to transcend repetitive narratives and uncover stories untold. Its first feature film, TRANSFINITE, was accepted to over 20 film festivals worldwide.
Lena-Camille Otalora
Producer
Lena-Camille Otalora (they/she) is a producer, creative strategist, filmmaker, and art director based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Born and raised in Miami, Fl, Lena spends a great deal of time thinking about the ocean. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Film & TV Production from Boston University, Lena spent their time freelancing in production, marketing, and communications in the Boston area. In 2021, they made the cross-country move to Oakland, CA. In the Bay, Lena has developed workflows for large-scale media production, leveraged strategic storytelling in growth marketing, and made a home in the local film scene. They mainly split their time between the Bay Area, Miami, and LA. Having also studied Comparative Literature at Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences, Lena can be spotted in the Bay Area reading their work for local crowds. You can read two of their poems published in Root Work Journal’s second issue, “Navigating the Ocean.” Their latest project, Non Binary - a music Video by Vibemuzik is currently in its festival run.
Nova Duarte Martinez
Unit Production Manager
Nova Duarte Martinez is a producer, assistant director and writer/director working in the Bay Area. Born to a Brazilian immigrant and a New Jersey hitchhiker in Butte Alaska, her unusual upbringing provided her with the space to foster her creative imagination as a storyteller. She enjoys the collaborative and communal aspect of filmmaking as a medium that brings various artists from all walks of life together. Her directing credits include La Lectura, No Plan B, Play it like it's '54, and Reflections on The Bay Bridge. Her work has been screened at The Roxie, QWOCMAP film festival, ATA, among others. One of her last big endeavors was serving as the Line Producer on Maiden Lane-a proof of Concept Short Film about a Sex Worker in the early 20th century. She additionally dabbles in film photography as well as writing prose. When she's not working on film you can find her reading on BART, listening to Tropicália music, and picking flowers off the streets for her friends. She currently resides in a little house in West Oakland.
Alexien Long
Director of Photography
Alexien Long is a Director of Photography and Camera Operator based in San Francisco, California, with ten years of experience.
Specializing in commercials and narrative, he strives to achieve a cinematic aesthetic, dedicated to mastering new tools and techniques. Whether shooting with an iPhone or an ARRI, his extensive technical expertise allows him to concentrate on what truly matters: storytelling. His DP work has featured at San Francisco's Another Hole in the Head, Cinequest, Bravemaker Film Festival, San Francisco Frozen Film Festival, FLY Film Festival, Films of Remembrance & CAAM Fest.
Cristina Bracamontes
Sound Mixer
Cristina Bracamontes discovered the field of sound design while studying cinema at San Francisco State University. She became known to her peers as the designated sound person and entered the industry working in production sound and post production sound. She quickly noticed that she was an anomaly in the industry: a Latina production sound mixer. She continues to work hard to be the change in the industry by making the industry more inclusive not only to women, but women of color. Her work on The Painter recently was awarded Best Sound at CAPFest 2023 at the beginning of its festival run. She currently works as a sound editor on a popular true crime podcast.
Sasha Green
Production Designer
Sasha Green is a production designer, photographer, and creative in the Bay Area who’s been in the film industry for six years. She is passionate about focusing on detail and realism in her work, whether she's sourcing tables from Urban Ore, or carefully removing cobwebs from the corners of her apartment.
Johannes J Gomez
Costume Desginer
Johanes is an emerging costume designer based in the Bay Area, specializing in both film and theatre. His work ranges from award-winning short films to indie features. Over the past five years, he has honed his craft within the costume department, learning under esteemed costume designers who have instilled a deep appreciation for visual storytelling and the importance of sustainable practices. He has assisted in costuming films including; Sundance Audience Award winning “Dídi” and seminal Razzie Award winning classic, “Madame
Web”.
Juan Palomino III
Social Media Editor
Juan is a Chicano editor from San José, working in the Bay Area film and video production scene for seven years. Most of his work is with nonprofits and community organizations, but he’s always been drawn to narrative projects especially the spooky kind. A dabbler in way too many things, Juan’s just down to make cool things with cool people.
Lucy Ghidossi
Social Media Manager
Lucila Ghidossi is a sensitive artist and filmmaker who seeks to capture the beauty of slow life through detail, atmosphere, and poetic imagery. Her creative path expands into social media management and content creation, where she combines strategy with an artistic eye to build meaningful narratives for brands and projects. Alongside her professional work, she explores the culinary world as a hobby through product and food photography, finding in textures, colors, and simplicity another way to express her vision of everyday beauty.
Martina Ghidossi
Pitch Deck Designer and Social Media Graphics
Martina is a designer immersed in communication and experience. She works at the earliest stage of a project—where ideas take shape and stories begin to unfold. Through carefully crafted pitch decks, she gives each project a voice, ensuring its essence and value are conveyed with clarity and impact.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Specter is about friendship, loss, and the shadows history leaves behind.
When Henry sets out to find his missing best friend, his journey becomes more than just a search—it becomes a confrontation with the forgotten past that lingers off the coast of San Francisco, on the Farallon Islands. Shot through Henry’s lens, the film blends tones both classic and modern, pulling us deeper into a mystery that feels unsettlingly close to home.
This isn’t just another horror short. Specter is designed to leave you with that quiet recognition—the sense that the story on screen mirrors the dread we feel in our own lives, when we see the injustices around us, but are paralyzed by powerlessness.
This film is being made by a team of independent, passionate filmmakers who believe in the power of community-driven storytelling.
At the helm is director and writer Sabrina Ghidossi, whose work has been recognized by Coverfly, named a Top 20 Horror Script of the Month, and featured at several Bay Area festivals. Alongside Sabrina is a crew of artists and technicians who have worked on everything from SFFILM Residency projects to Netflix and Universal productions.
What excites us most isn’t just our résumés or laurels—it’s the chance to tell a story that pushes horror in a new direction. We are Bay Area filmmakers through and through, and this project is fueled by the collective energy and artistry of our community.
Behind the story of Specter lies a chilling truth. For three decades, the waters just off San Francisco were used as a dumping ground for radioactive waste. Thousands of barrels and irradiated ships were sunk near the Farallon Islands, their contents left largely unexamined to this day.
While this is not a documentary, this reality shapes the fabric of the film. The unease in Specter is rooted in real history, a reminder of the ways neglect and secrecy leave marks that never quite fade. By building the horror of this story on a foundation of fact, we’re creating a film that feels disturbingly possible.
When you support Specter, you’re helping us bring an ambitious, socially resonant horror story to life.
Your contribution doesn’t just fund a production. It invests in local artists, keeps indie filmmaking alive in the Bay Area, and gives you a chance to literally join the story. Through rewards like Edwin’s Log, backers can become part of the canon of the film itself. Whether you can give $10 or $1,000, every dollar makes this project possible, and every share helps spread the word further.
- $15 Your Name in the Credits
- Your name in our short film's end credits.
- $25 Special Thank You
- Your name in the credits + a mention in our story + a private link to watch the film online once it premieres.
- $50 – Special Thank You
- Your name in the credits + a private link to watch the film online once it premieres. Be part of Specter’s story.
- $75 – Premiere Shoutout
- All previous rewards + a personalized shoutout on our Instagram story + one ticket to the San Francisco premiere.
- $100 – Poster & BTS Access
- All previous rewards + an exclusive signed poster + access to behind-the-scenes photos, videos, and concept art.
- $250 – Director’s Shoutout
- All previous rewards + a personalized video thank-you from our director, delivered via our campaign story.
- $500 – Early Screener
- All previous rewards + an exclusive streaming link to watch Specter before its public premiere. See it first!
- $750 – Edwin's Log (4 Available)
- All previous rewards + your name integrated into Edwin’s Log—our in-world Instagram story. You’ll forever become part of the canon. (Limited to 4).
- $1,000 – Associate Producer Package
- All previous rewards + Associate Producer credit on IMDb + one premiere ticket + a hero prop from set (yes, even the infamous radioactive seagull egg).
- $2,500 – Producer Package
- All previous rewards + Producer credit on IMDb + two premiere tickets + a hero prop + a voucher for a one-night stay in a cozy cabin near Yosemite Valley (a cabin, just like Edwin's) in Twain Harte, California.
- $5,000 – Executive Producer Retreat
- All previous rewards + Executive Producer credit on IMDb + a voucher for a three-night stay at cabin near Yosemite Valley in Twain Harte, California + a Yosemite National Park day pass. A once-in-a-lifetime retreat in nature, just two hours from San Francisco.
We are raising $12,000 to bring Specter to life, and we want you to know exactly how those funds will be used.
The largest portion goes toward paying our cast and crew fairly, making sure that the people who dedicate their time and talent are supported. Another significant part covers the rental of cameras, sound, and lighting equipment, which gives us the tools to achieve the cinematic precision this story demands.
From there, we will invest in production design, costumes and practical SFX to build the eerie, lived-in world of the Farallon Islands. Funds also cover locations, transportation, and shooting logistics. Once filming is complete, post-production will carry the story through editing, sound, and color, ensuring the film leaves a lasting impression. Finally, a portion of the budget is set aside for festival submissions and distribution, so Specter can reach audiences far and wide.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Catering & Craft Services
Costs $950
Feeding cast & crew is essential to guarantee their well-being. One of the essentials of an indie project, sourced from SF small businesses.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $3,500
Your contributions will additionally help us with equipment rentals, allowing us to bring to life our distinct visual tone and style.
Cast & Crew Wages
Costs $2,500
We are committed to fairly compensating our cast and crew and in turn supporting the folks who make the Bay Area's indie scene possible.
Post-Production Services
Costs $2,000
Your contributions will additionally go towards properly financing our hardworking editorial team to get our film to the finish line.
Festival Fees
Costs $600
Our desire is for this film to reach as many audiences as possible and spark conversations on a local and national level.
Location Fees
Costs $1,500
Your contributions will additionally help us in acquiring the proper permits and cover location fees to help form the world of our script.
SFX
Costs $950
We need funds for an SFX artist to bring "the Specters" to life - haunting, barnacled husks of men, warped by the radiation on the island.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Sabrina Ghidossi
Writer/Director
Sabrina Ghidossi is an Argentine-American queer writer, producer and director, working in the Bay Area filmmaking scene for over six years. Delving into her diverse cultural background, Sabrina pulls from vulnerable personal experiences to inform her works. Her focus is the horror film genre as an instrument to explore complex social issues. Having grown up in Argentina and moved to San Francisco to pursue her film education, her filmmaking spirit combines experimental artistic approaches (skills gained from her time at SFSU, mentored under film legend Greta Snider), and DIY indie adaptability (from years working in the production department on projects with folks from all over the Bay Area). Her short film "Senility" was featured at the 2024 Roxie Mixtape (at the historical SF Roxie theater), San Francisco's Another Hole in the Head, and the Bolinas Film Festival. She has also been featured as a semi-finalist at the Cinequest Screenwriting Competition of 2024. Sabrina also runs workshops on experimental celluloid filmmaking, where students up-cycle discarded reels of 35mm film, and intervene to turn them into an entirely new piece of media.
Tajianna Okechukwu
Creative & Cultural Consultant
Tajianna Okechukwu is an actor and filmmaker based in the Bay Area, reclaiming the ancestral, the magical, and the unapologetically Black. She earned a double degree in Acting and Film & TV Studies from Azusa Pacific University. She has worked with companies like PBS, Google, A24, Marvel Studios, and more. She was the Video Projections Designer for The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body and stage-managed several theatre productions. Her film Cracks in the Foundation earned Best Direction at WILDsound and screened at UCLAxFilmFest. Her script HERITAGE was featured in Betti Ono’s The Next 15 Minutes: Full Spectrum Futures showcase, a live staged reading highlighting Bay Area sci-fi writer-directors. The project emerged from her selection as a writing fellow in the Justice For My Sister BIPOC Screenwriting Lab, an incubator for visionary POC writers crafting futuristic narratives. Tajianna is passionate about avant-garde storytelling that aims to shake culture and shift paradigms in society.
Stefano Gonzalez
Producer
Stefano Gonzalez is a trans Latinx producer originally from New York, where he taught video production to high school students. After moving to the Bay Area, Stefano completed his MFA in Motion Pictures & Television. Working in the film industry for over ten years, Stefano's resume includes work on Outerlands (2025 - SXSW Official Selection), Insecure (Season 5), Matrix Resurrections (2021), and Do The Fit? (2016- Cannes Short Film Corner). He has also served as a juror for the renowned Frameline Completion Fund (2020) and Afro-Comic Con (2022). He is the CEO of Transgress Studios LLC, a video and film production company designed to transcend repetitive narratives and uncover stories untold. Its first feature film, TRANSFINITE, was accepted to over 20 film festivals worldwide.
Lena-Camille Otalora
Producer
Lena-Camille Otalora (they/she) is a producer, creative strategist, filmmaker, and art director based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Born and raised in Miami, Fl, Lena spends a great deal of time thinking about the ocean. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Film & TV Production from Boston University, Lena spent their time freelancing in production, marketing, and communications in the Boston area. In 2021, they made the cross-country move to Oakland, CA. In the Bay, Lena has developed workflows for large-scale media production, leveraged strategic storytelling in growth marketing, and made a home in the local film scene. They mainly split their time between the Bay Area, Miami, and LA. Having also studied Comparative Literature at Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences, Lena can be spotted in the Bay Area reading their work for local crowds. You can read two of their poems published in Root Work Journal’s second issue, “Navigating the Ocean.” Their latest project, Non Binary - a music Video by Vibemuzik is currently in its festival run.
Nova Duarte Martinez
Unit Production Manager
Nova Duarte Martinez is a producer, assistant director and writer/director working in the Bay Area. Born to a Brazilian immigrant and a New Jersey hitchhiker in Butte Alaska, her unusual upbringing provided her with the space to foster her creative imagination as a storyteller. She enjoys the collaborative and communal aspect of filmmaking as a medium that brings various artists from all walks of life together. Her directing credits include La Lectura, No Plan B, Play it like it's '54, and Reflections on The Bay Bridge. Her work has been screened at The Roxie, QWOCMAP film festival, ATA, among others. One of her last big endeavors was serving as the Line Producer on Maiden Lane-a proof of Concept Short Film about a Sex Worker in the early 20th century. She additionally dabbles in film photography as well as writing prose. When she's not working on film you can find her reading on BART, listening to Tropicália music, and picking flowers off the streets for her friends. She currently resides in a little house in West Oakland.
Alexien Long
Director of Photography
Alexien Long is a Director of Photography and Camera Operator based in San Francisco, California, with ten years of experience.
Specializing in commercials and narrative, he strives to achieve a cinematic aesthetic, dedicated to mastering new tools and techniques. Whether shooting with an iPhone or an ARRI, his extensive technical expertise allows him to concentrate on what truly matters: storytelling. His DP work has featured at San Francisco's Another Hole in the Head, Cinequest, Bravemaker Film Festival, San Francisco Frozen Film Festival, FLY Film Festival, Films of Remembrance & CAAM Fest.
Cristina Bracamontes
Sound Mixer
Cristina Bracamontes discovered the field of sound design while studying cinema at San Francisco State University. She became known to her peers as the designated sound person and entered the industry working in production sound and post production sound. She quickly noticed that she was an anomaly in the industry: a Latina production sound mixer. She continues to work hard to be the change in the industry by making the industry more inclusive not only to women, but women of color. Her work on The Painter recently was awarded Best Sound at CAPFest 2023 at the beginning of its festival run. She currently works as a sound editor on a popular true crime podcast.
Sasha Green
Production Designer
Sasha Green is a production designer, photographer, and creative in the Bay Area who’s been in the film industry for six years. She is passionate about focusing on detail and realism in her work, whether she's sourcing tables from Urban Ore, or carefully removing cobwebs from the corners of her apartment.