*COVID NOTE* During these hard times, film-making in Utah has become increasingly difficult. We are trying to safely advance while simultaneously supporting local cast and crew. No funds will go to the creators, instead it will go into hiring locals and renting equipment from local companies.
*COVID NOTE* During these hard times, film-making in Utah has become increasingly difficult. We are trying to safely advance while simultaneously supporting local cast and crew. No funds will go to the creators, instead it will go into hiring locals and renting equipment from local companies.
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Story
Mission Statement
We strive for diversity, representation and locality. Half of the top creative positions are held by women, including a woman co-writer and director. The protagonist of the film is female. Our crew is racially diverse and almost everyone on the project is local to the Rocky Mountain Region.About The Project
Last March we set out to produce a trilogy of short films to build the foundations of a genre we call Rocky Mountain Mythology.
This genre explores our regional identity by creating a local mythology inspired by the geography and culture of the Rockies.
We believe that myths reveal the spirit of communities and offer relatable ideas through the use of strong symbolism and metaphor. In creating the Rocky Mountain Mythology, we want to contribute to a new filmic identity in a state that is undergoing rapid growth.
Through local donations and the Utah Film Center's fiscal sponsorship we were able to fund and complete the first two films of the trilogy.
"The Dowager" is the third and final film.
**Note on COVID**
The film has already been delayed a few times due to the pandemic but we've decided that it's time to make it. We recognize that the film industry, specifically film made by local Utah filmmakers, has taken a massive hit because of safety concerns and lack of funding. We hope to provide jobs to local cast and crew who may be struggling to find work right now and support local rental agencies with the money raised here.
Safety is our number one priority so we will have trained medical proffessionals on set making sure that we create as safe an environment as possible. Together, we can safely forge ahead and add a new Rocky Mountain folktale to an already vibrant collection of stories.
So far we've successfully compeleted 2 out of 3 of The Rocky Mountain Mythology.
Each explores a central philosphy and folkloric structure.
The Pallbearer follows a lone traveller with a strange and morbid curse.
The Angler features a man so obsessed with fishing that he eventually catches himself.
The Dowager focuses on a rural couple and their dealings with the afterlife.
It will be our most ambitious work to date and will serve as a proof of concept for our feature film; "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief".
In order to stop her dead husband from abandoning her and their farm, a woman shoots her husband's wing off as he ascends to heaven in the form of an angel.
Unable to come to terms with his death, she locks him in the chicken coop and attempts to restore his humanity. When she fails to bring back the man she loved, she finally reconciles her grief and fashions a new wing for him to complete his journey to the afterlife.
A stout and homely woman in her late 50s. Married to the Late Charles Hume. Esther is a strong agrarian woman who has worked the land for her entire life. Her gruff and stubborn attitude often conceals her gentle heart. She must learn to let her dead husband go.
A wiry and strong man in his early 60s. The soon-to-be late husband of Esther Hume. We never see Charles as a human, instead he takes the form of a bedragled one-winged angel who failed to reach heaven after his mortal death. He doesn't speak or have any internal motivations other than to complete his journey to Heaven.
This film takes place on the Hume's farm, South Eden, in Bear Lake Valley on the border of Utah and Idaho.
The time period is late 20th century.
The rugged landscape of norther Utah contributes to the story's sense of uncanny magical realism.
Photos of Location:
Mood Board:
For more info follow us on social media or check out our website castorpolluxstudios.com
Incentives
$5
Thank You!
A thank you from the bottom of our hard-boiled hearts.
$15
Social Media Shoutout
We'll give you a shout out on our social media for being an important part of the process.
$25
Cowboy Ballad
We will make you the centerpiece in a short Rocky Mountain Mythology themed poem.
$50
Animatic
An animated shotlist of the film, a cowboy ballad featuring you, and a social media shout out.
$100
Aesthetic Lookbook
A digital copy of the original pitch deck, location scout, and more. Includes cowboy ballad, animatic, and social media shoutout.
$200
A Peak Behind the Curtains
We will film behind the scenes footage of the days leading up to, and during, the shoot and wrap it up in a neat little video just for you.
$500
Early Access to the Film
You will get to see the film as soon as we do! Be part of the first group of people to see the film through an exclusive online link. Includes the lookbook, poster series, animatic, and a shoutout on our social media.
$1,000
Commissioned Portrait
A 16" x 20" painting of your choosing done by Lucy Nebeker. You will also recieve an early access link to the film, a digital poster series for the Trilogy, an aesthetic lookbook, a link to the animatic, and a shoutout on social media.
$1,500
Associate Producer credit and a stay in the Shoe House
You will recieve an Associate Producer credit for the film as well as a stay in the historic Shoe House in Bear Lake, Idaho. You will also have access to all other lower incentives.
Claimed: 0 of 5
$2,000
Executive Producer
You will recieve an Executive Producer credit in the film, access to all other incentives, and a private video conference with the directors to discuss the rough draft of the film.
Claimed: 1 of 2
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$5
Thank You!
A thank you from the bottom of our hard-boiled hearts.
$15
Social Media Shoutout
We'll give you a shout out on our social media for being an important part of the process.
$25
Cowboy Ballad
We will make you the centerpiece in a short Rocky Mountain Mythology themed poem.
$50
Animatic
An animated shotlist of the film, a cowboy ballad featuring you, and a social media shout out.
$100
Aesthetic Lookbook
A digital copy of the original pitch deck, location scout, and more. Includes cowboy ballad, animatic, and social media shoutout.
$200
A Peak Behind the Curtains
We will film behind the scenes footage of the days leading up to, and during, the shoot and wrap it up in a neat little video just for you.
$500
Early Access to the Film
You will get to see the film as soon as we do! Be part of the first group of people to see the film through an exclusive online link. Includes the lookbook, poster series, animatic, and a shoutout on our social media.
$1,000
Commissioned Portrait
A 16" x 20" painting of your choosing done by Lucy Nebeker. You will also recieve an early access link to the film, a digital poster series for the Trilogy, an aesthetic lookbook, a link to the animatic, and a shoutout on social media.
$1,500
Associate Producer credit and a stay in the Shoe House
You will recieve an Associate Producer credit for the film as well as a stay in the historic Shoe House in Bear Lake, Idaho. You will also have access to all other lower incentives.
Claimed: 0 of 5
$2,000
Executive Producer
You will recieve an Executive Producer credit in the film, access to all other incentives, and a private video conference with the directors to discuss the rough draft of the film.
Claimed: 1 of 2
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Lucy Nebeker - Co-Writer, Co-Director
A recent graduate from UPenn, Lucy majored in Cognitive Neuroscience and Visual Studies with a minor in Film. At 18, Lucy co-founded a student based production company at UPenn - Nexo Productions.
She has worked as a production intern for Frontline PBS and with Oscar award-winning director, Morgan Neville on his recently released docuseries, Shangri-La. Alongside her narrative projects, Lucy currently works as a video editor for Condé Nast, contributing to publications (Vogue, Vanity Fair, ect).
Max Nebeker - Co-writer, Co-Director
Max trained at the University of Utah in Film and Media Arts and has chosen to translate those skills into the film world by finding new and innovative ways to interact with an audience.
He has since gone on to participate in the making of local feature films, as well as writing, directing and editing two shorts with Lucy Nebeker.
Oscar Jiminez - Cinematographer
Oscar’s work has screened at various film festivals including Sundance Film Festival, garnering a Jury Prize for his work on The Minors. Narratives that draws his styles centre on human experience, often demanding visceral, textured images full of feeling, which give an audience the emotional experience of the character’s world. He draws inspiration from his Mexican heritage including cinematographers Gabriel Figueroa, Guillermo Navarro, Emmanuel Lubezki, and Diego Garcia.
Connor Rickman - Producer
Connor is a co-owner of Overcranked Pictures, a production services company that is part of the “Film Shop” Co-Op at Redman Movies along with Parking Garage Pictures, Owl Eyed Productions, CameraJack and Strawberry Sound.
Nicholas Escobar - Composor
Nicholas is a recent UPENN grad and a recipient of the Thouron award. He is pursuing a master's degree in music composition at the Edinburgh College. Nicholas has been scoring films and plays since high-school and has had the chance to preform his music live as well. Nicholas has scored the last two films in the Rocky Mountain Mythology Trilogy and is a longterm collaborator of the Nebeker twins.
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Drew Tekulve - Colorist
Drew is a colorist based in the mountains of Utah coming off seven seasons coloring the hit sketch comedy show Studio C. Now, he collaborates with filmmakers everywhere, coloring music videos, commercials, and features.
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