The Butcher
Toronto, Canada | Film Short
Satire, Horror
A Detective inquiries about the disappearance of a shady health inspector from the shifty owner of the Butcher Shop he was last seen at.
The Butcher
Toronto, Canada | Film Short
Satire, Horror
1 Campaigns | Ontario, Canada
Green Light
This campaign raised C$8,000 for development. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
20 supporters | followers
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A Detective inquiries about the disappearance of a shady health inspector from the shifty owner of the Butcher Shop he was last seen at.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
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The Butcher:
Jacoby Hartman, a jaded detective, works on a case involving the disappearance of Talen Nash, a health inspector who targets restaurants and shops to blackmail them into keeping their businesses. On his last lead, Jacoby finds himself at ‘Teller’s Meat’s,’ Nash’s last known location to question its owner, Lyle Teller. As Lyle recounts his experience with Nash, Jacoby questions the validity of the encounter, as Lyle hides more than he’s willing to admit, as he begins to hear noises coming from the inside of his fridge.
Characters:
Lyle Teller: The central Butcher of the story, Lyle is a hard working owner of the butcher shop that was opened up by his father. Down on his luck, it only gets worse when Lyle is visited by health inspector Talen Nash, taking advantage of his misfortune and low funds. Lyle, not wanting to lose his father's legacy, commits an unforgivable sin in a desperate bid to keep the shop open.
Jacoby Hartman: A jaded but seasoned detective who is looking into the disappearance of Talen, winding up at Lyle's shop. Though only their at first due to having no other leads, Jacoby soon starts to piece together the story for himself.
Talen Nash: An extortive health inspector who comes to Lyle's shop to prey on his desperation to keep the shop open. Talen will stoop as low as he can to get the most amount of money out of his clients.
Rebecca Chambers: Lyle's sole employee who works hard to ensure that Lyle can keep the store open. She often keeps to herself but is always there as a helping hand.
Our Story:
For as long as I can remember, I had always loved one thing: making movies, to be precise Horror Movies. As I got older, I gravitated toward as much obscure Horror works as I could, but one piece of work I had never gotten to reading was the classic short story ‘The Tell-Tale Heart.’ By Edgar Allen Poe.
I had seen so many references to the story over the years, but I had never watched an adaptation of the story, much less read it myself. When I finally had gotten around to reading the short story, I fell in love with the it, from its concise nature to its hair-raising tension, it spoke to me and showed how a story, no matter it’s length, could affect you.
.jpeg)
Having spent my whole life wanting to tell stories and make films, I’ve always wanted to tell my own version of Poe’s classic tale but wasn’t sure if I could in a way that no other filmmaker had previously done. One day, though, I had been working a job, delivering meat to a butcher shop. While I was unloading, I was in the back of the store, with no lights, as I stared down the hallway, looking at the fridge where the meat was stored. The atmosphere of the building led me to thinking of ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ for the first time in a while, and I realized that this was a story I still wanted to bring the story to screen in my style, and this context would help form the script.
I felt I had to make this movie because it encompassed the type of story I want to pursue as a filmmaker; Character Studies that delve into the psyche's of those that society neglects and pushes away or around. 'The Butcher' is an exploration that I feel should be done now to keep the same from happening in the future.
.jpeg)
The Cinematic Vision
As the writer and director of this project, I toiled over for a while how to tell this story. I had thought of working on a more traditional gothic horror film. A couple of drafts and not feeling satisfied with the results, I had an idea strike me, though. My love of Noir and Neo-Noir films led me to developing the story as focusing on the Detective as much as it does The Butcher.
.jpeg)
With the vision in mind, my crew and I are dedicated to bringing life to the project. Our influences include:
- The Maltese Falcon (1941)
- Casablanca (1942)
- The Works of Alfred Hitchcock
- Chinatown (1974)
- Under the Silver Lake (2018)
These influences give an idea of what I am hoping to bring to this movie.
How the money will be distributed
As we are currently in Pre-Production, this money will greatly help us in our acquisition to bring this film to life.
For our production, we will have plenty of areas that will require money in Pre, Main and Post-Production. These include:
- Location and Equipment Rentals
- Craft
- Production Design
- Props
- Crew & Cast
- Editing (Video, Sound, Colour)
- Submissions to Film Festivals
The goal for this campaign is to reach $10,000, which makes up for a considerable portion of our film’s total budget. This money will ensure the production will be able to look, sound and be at its best. Every dollar matters and the more we have, the better the final product turns out. We have your entertainment as our number one priority, and we hope that you’ll be able to help us on our journey.
When we finish the film, we will be submitting it to film festivals throughout the rest of this year and 2025 (depending on when we have our final edit ready).
Thank you for taking the time to look at our page. Please share and show love!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Design & Costume Design
Costs C$1,000
It is a butcher shop after-all. Heck lot of meats of various kinds (props!). What is a crime film without come good old cop car.
Hair and Make up (Special Effects)
Costs C$300
It is gonna be grotesque !
Camera
Costs C$2,000
This will cover Camera rental costs along with camera gears.
Lighting, G & E
Costs C$1,000
This will cover lights and G&E rentals costs to help the gaffer and DP achieve the lighting look they want.
Cast & Crew
Costs C$2,000
Pay our cast and crew for all the hard work
Craft and Catering
Costs C$1,600
This is gonna cover lunch & crafts to feed our cast & crew on set. They all need energy!
Insurance & Permits
Costs C$600
Need Insurance for the locations and gears and city permits
Location
Costs C$1,500
Some shady butcher shop with shadier alley
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Jackson Stewart, (Writer/ Director)
Jackson Stewart is a writer and director working out of the city of Toronto, Ontario, having graduated from Loyalist College with a degree in Television, Filmmaking and Digital Content Creation in 2021. He has spent the last few years working toward his goal of working toward making feature films. Jackson has worked in many different positions in his career, including shows like "Cabinet of Curiosities", "Renovation Resort", "The Amazing Race Canada", "The Madness", "Fraulein Cherie" and "Sick Puppy". Jackson has also made a few short films of his own, including Paranormal Community Program and runs J&J Productions with friend and working partner Jayden Wieser.
Anna Banana (Producer)
Jiayue Yuan (Anna Banana), a Director and Producer. She graduated from the University of Toronto, specializing in Cinema Studies. She further honed her producing skills at Shanghai Vancouver Film School. After graduation, Anna immersed herself in the world of commercials as a producer and remained active in indie filmmaking, both in Toronto and in China. With extensive on-set experience, she has contributed to award-winning short films, commercials, and music videos. Additionally, she engages in freelance videography, capturing events and creating compelling social media content.
Emme Nyoki, (Producer)
Based in Toronto, Emme is an Independent Producer and Production Designer known for their innovative approach to filmmaking. She studied Film Production at Toronto Film School and currently studies Creative Art at Yorkville University to learn more skills on producing. She has works on several independent short film for Canadian Film Centre, Toronto Film School and Independent Productions. She has also worked as Press interviewer on several Film Festivals. Few of her major works are Let There Be Light (Music Video - Art Director), which is selected as Toronto Film School Film Festival, to be screened at the TIFF Lightbox, Bicycle Boy (Short Film - Producer) to be screened at Imagine Cinemas, Toronto.
Rcardo Castilho, (Director of Photography)
Ricardo Castilho is a cinematographer based in Toronto, graduated from Toronto Film School in 2022. He currently a Student Member at the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, where he participates in a mentorship program. Ricardo has honed his skills through diverse projects, including the comedy "His Idiotic Actions," the thrilling comedy "Chromatic Defuse" (also known as "BO:OM"), the horror short "Whispers at Red Lake," and the recent Humber College thesis project "The Cowboys." Additionally, he has contributed as a camera operator for the documentary "Creative Inclusion" and the music video "You Hearing Me." Ricardo's collaborative approach with directors and actors has shaped his creative style, characterized by a keen eye for storytelling and a dedication to capturing the perfect shot.
Rifat Mahmud, (1st Assistant Director)
Rifat Mahmud is a recent graduate from Toronto Film School who’s currently focusing on being an AD. He is also a student of creative arts at Yorkville University. Originally from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Rifat finished high school (A levels) in 2021 and came to Toronto in 2022. Despite familial pressure to pursue engineering, Rifat decided to do something he is passionate about and enrolled in film school. He has experience being an AD on several short/independent films. Besides studies and working on sets, Rifat spends most of his time writing wacky scripts and over analysing films.
Huiru Shi (Production Designer)
Huiru Shi, a dedicated Production Designer, holds a BDes from OCAD University and completed a Fashion Design program at GBC. She has rich experiences working on films, music videos, and commercials. Huiru's diverse interests allow her to immerse herself in the storytelling process, craft and build the world of characters from the ground up. She is also highly organized and thrives on problem-solving.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The Butcher:
Jacoby Hartman, a jaded detective, works on a case involving the disappearance of Talen Nash, a health inspector who targets restaurants and shops to blackmail them into keeping their businesses. On his last lead, Jacoby finds himself at ‘Teller’s Meat’s,’ Nash’s last known location to question its owner, Lyle Teller. As Lyle recounts his experience with Nash, Jacoby questions the validity of the encounter, as Lyle hides more than he’s willing to admit, as he begins to hear noises coming from the inside of his fridge.
Characters:
Lyle Teller: The central Butcher of the story, Lyle is a hard working owner of the butcher shop that was opened up by his father. Down on his luck, it only gets worse when Lyle is visited by health inspector Talen Nash, taking advantage of his misfortune and low funds. Lyle, not wanting to lose his father's legacy, commits an unforgivable sin in a desperate bid to keep the shop open.
Jacoby Hartman: A jaded but seasoned detective who is looking into the disappearance of Talen, winding up at Lyle's shop. Though only their at first due to having no other leads, Jacoby soon starts to piece together the story for himself.
Talen Nash: An extortive health inspector who comes to Lyle's shop to prey on his desperation to keep the shop open. Talen will stoop as low as he can to get the most amount of money out of his clients.
Rebecca Chambers: Lyle's sole employee who works hard to ensure that Lyle can keep the store open. She often keeps to herself but is always there as a helping hand.
Our Story:
For as long as I can remember, I had always loved one thing: making movies, to be precise Horror Movies. As I got older, I gravitated toward as much obscure Horror works as I could, but one piece of work I had never gotten to reading was the classic short story ‘The Tell-Tale Heart.’ By Edgar Allen Poe.
I had seen so many references to the story over the years, but I had never watched an adaptation of the story, much less read it myself. When I finally had gotten around to reading the short story, I fell in love with the it, from its concise nature to its hair-raising tension, it spoke to me and showed how a story, no matter it’s length, could affect you.
Having spent my whole life wanting to tell stories and make films, I’ve always wanted to tell my own version of Poe’s classic tale but wasn’t sure if I could in a way that no other filmmaker had previously done. One day, though, I had been working a job, delivering meat to a butcher shop. While I was unloading, I was in the back of the store, with no lights, as I stared down the hallway, looking at the fridge where the meat was stored. The atmosphere of the building led me to thinking of ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ for the first time in a while, and I realized that this was a story I still wanted to bring the story to screen in my style, and this context would help form the script.
I felt I had to make this movie because it encompassed the type of story I want to pursue as a filmmaker; Character Studies that delve into the psyche's of those that society neglects and pushes away or around. 'The Butcher' is an exploration that I feel should be done now to keep the same from happening in the future.
The Cinematic Vision
As the writer and director of this project, I toiled over for a while how to tell this story. I had thought of working on a more traditional gothic horror film. A couple of drafts and not feeling satisfied with the results, I had an idea strike me, though. My love of Noir and Neo-Noir films led me to developing the story as focusing on the Detective as much as it does The Butcher.
With the vision in mind, my crew and I are dedicated to bringing life to the project. Our influences include:
- The Maltese Falcon (1941)
- Casablanca (1942)
- The Works of Alfred Hitchcock
- Chinatown (1974)
- Under the Silver Lake (2018)
These influences give an idea of what I am hoping to bring to this movie.
How the money will be distributed
As we are currently in Pre-Production, this money will greatly help us in our acquisition to bring this film to life.
For our production, we will have plenty of areas that will require money in Pre, Main and Post-Production. These include:
- Location and Equipment Rentals
- Craft
- Production Design
- Props
- Crew & Cast
- Editing (Video, Sound, Colour)
- Submissions to Film Festivals
The goal for this campaign is to reach $10,000, which makes up for a considerable portion of our film’s total budget. This money will ensure the production will be able to look, sound and be at its best. Every dollar matters and the more we have, the better the final product turns out. We have your entertainment as our number one priority, and we hope that you’ll be able to help us on our journey.
When we finish the film, we will be submitting it to film festivals throughout the rest of this year and 2025 (depending on when we have our final edit ready).
Thank you for taking the time to look at our page. Please share and show love!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Design & Costume Design
Costs C$1,000
It is a butcher shop after-all. Heck lot of meats of various kinds (props!). What is a crime film without come good old cop car.
Hair and Make up (Special Effects)
Costs C$300
It is gonna be grotesque !
Camera
Costs C$2,000
This will cover Camera rental costs along with camera gears.
Lighting, G & E
Costs C$1,000
This will cover lights and G&E rentals costs to help the gaffer and DP achieve the lighting look they want.
Cast & Crew
Costs C$2,000
Pay our cast and crew for all the hard work
Craft and Catering
Costs C$1,600
This is gonna cover lunch & crafts to feed our cast & crew on set. They all need energy!
Insurance & Permits
Costs C$600
Need Insurance for the locations and gears and city permits
Location
Costs C$1,500
Some shady butcher shop with shadier alley
Cash Pledge
Costs C$0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Jackson Stewart, (Writer/ Director)
Jackson Stewart is a writer and director working out of the city of Toronto, Ontario, having graduated from Loyalist College with a degree in Television, Filmmaking and Digital Content Creation in 2021. He has spent the last few years working toward his goal of working toward making feature films. Jackson has worked in many different positions in his career, including shows like "Cabinet of Curiosities", "Renovation Resort", "The Amazing Race Canada", "The Madness", "Fraulein Cherie" and "Sick Puppy". Jackson has also made a few short films of his own, including Paranormal Community Program and runs J&J Productions with friend and working partner Jayden Wieser.
Anna Banana (Producer)
Jiayue Yuan (Anna Banana), a Director and Producer. She graduated from the University of Toronto, specializing in Cinema Studies. She further honed her producing skills at Shanghai Vancouver Film School. After graduation, Anna immersed herself in the world of commercials as a producer and remained active in indie filmmaking, both in Toronto and in China. With extensive on-set experience, she has contributed to award-winning short films, commercials, and music videos. Additionally, she engages in freelance videography, capturing events and creating compelling social media content.
Emme Nyoki, (Producer)
Based in Toronto, Emme is an Independent Producer and Production Designer known for their innovative approach to filmmaking. She studied Film Production at Toronto Film School and currently studies Creative Art at Yorkville University to learn more skills on producing. She has works on several independent short film for Canadian Film Centre, Toronto Film School and Independent Productions. She has also worked as Press interviewer on several Film Festivals. Few of her major works are Let There Be Light (Music Video - Art Director), which is selected as Toronto Film School Film Festival, to be screened at the TIFF Lightbox, Bicycle Boy (Short Film - Producer) to be screened at Imagine Cinemas, Toronto.
Rcardo Castilho, (Director of Photography)
Ricardo Castilho is a cinematographer based in Toronto, graduated from Toronto Film School in 2022. He currently a Student Member at the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, where he participates in a mentorship program. Ricardo has honed his skills through diverse projects, including the comedy "His Idiotic Actions," the thrilling comedy "Chromatic Defuse" (also known as "BO:OM"), the horror short "Whispers at Red Lake," and the recent Humber College thesis project "The Cowboys." Additionally, he has contributed as a camera operator for the documentary "Creative Inclusion" and the music video "You Hearing Me." Ricardo's collaborative approach with directors and actors has shaped his creative style, characterized by a keen eye for storytelling and a dedication to capturing the perfect shot.
Rifat Mahmud, (1st Assistant Director)
Rifat Mahmud is a recent graduate from Toronto Film School who’s currently focusing on being an AD. He is also a student of creative arts at Yorkville University. Originally from Dhaka, Bangladesh, Rifat finished high school (A levels) in 2021 and came to Toronto in 2022. Despite familial pressure to pursue engineering, Rifat decided to do something he is passionate about and enrolled in film school. He has experience being an AD on several short/independent films. Besides studies and working on sets, Rifat spends most of his time writing wacky scripts and over analysing films.
Huiru Shi (Production Designer)
Huiru Shi, a dedicated Production Designer, holds a BDes from OCAD University and completed a Fashion Design program at GBC. She has rich experiences working on films, music videos, and commercials. Huiru's diverse interests allow her to immerse herself in the storytelling process, craft and build the world of characters from the ground up. She is also highly organized and thrives on problem-solving.