Transference
Austin, Texas | Film Short
Thriller, Horror
TRANSFERENCE is a psychological horror film about buried trauma that demands to be unearthed. During a hypnotherapy session, a therapist uncovers something terrifying in her patient’s memories and realizes she is confronting her own past. Help us create a grim and emotionally true horror experience.
Transference
Austin, Texas | Film Short
Thriller, Horror
1 Campaigns | Texas, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $13,821 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
122 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
TRANSFERENCE is a psychological horror film about buried trauma that demands to be unearthed. During a hypnotherapy session, a therapist uncovers something terrifying in her patient’s memories and realizes she is confronting her own past. Help us create a grim and emotionally true horror experience.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
AS OF MARCH 03 WE ARE AT 100% OF OUR INITIAL GOAL 🎉🖤📼🌀 !!!!!!!
Here's what we still need:
We can't believe it and are so beyond grateful for the outpouring support and excitement about our project. Thank you for believing in us!! While $11,000 covers our core production costs, there are additional expenses that weren't included in our initial goal. Any and all additional funds raised will continue to go directly back into the film and the people behind it, making it the best it can be.
$15,500 — Strengthening the Production
• Fully reimburse out-of-pocket production expenses
• Expand our post-production resources
- More support in sound design and mixing
- additional VFX correction
• Commission a custom title treatment that gives the film a distinct visual identity
• Build in contingency so we’re not cutting creative corners
$23,000 — Taking Care of Our Team & Festival Submissions
If we hit this goal, we're able to:
• Increase crew stipends across the board
• Cover festival submission fees
• Create a 5.1 surround sound mix for festival exhibition
• Allocate funds for marketing materials (poster design, trailer finishing, press assets)
• Give this film the strongest possible life after production
At its core, this film explores extreme grief. The kind that fractures memory and distorts identity. Through the lens of hypnotherapy and analog VHS footage, we follow a therapist who is trying to uncover something terrifying inside her patient’s memories, only to realize she is confronting her own past.
We’re living in a time when conversations around trauma and mental health are more open than ever, yet the emotional reality of trauma is still difficult to express. TRANSFERENCE uses horror as a language to communicate what words often cannot. Trauma rarely presents itself in clean, chronological narratives. It surfaces in jagged fragments. In strange splinters. In intrusions that feel both distant and immediate. This film embraces that disorientation instead of smoothing it out.
I’ve always been drawn towards subculture and the taboo instead of more mainstream topics. As a first-generation American child of Mexican immigrants, I was fortunately raised with both a deep respect for tradition and an equally deep love for cinema. In Mexican culture, death is embraced rather than feared — it’s often depicted in art, religion, and holidays. This upbringing and appreciation shaped who I am today; a career filmmaker who has been directing for over 15 years, leading projects that explore subversive themes with curiosity and tact.
My favorite films, life experiences, and art in general always have a cerebral element — something that leaves a mark.
I studied psychology in college, initially wanting to be a therapist. Our relationship with ourselves and working through trauma is important and meaningful to me. With TRANSFERENCE, I’m channeling my passion for the darker corners of the human experience: blending ambient music, psychology, and my vast experience as a visual director via music videos into a striking short.
As we’ve gotten deeper into the weeds of production, as films tend to do, this film has grown. We’ve been grateful recipients of the Nexus Grant from the City of Austin, but we still could use a little more help to cover the costs of production and post production.
Our initial goal for this crowdfund is $11,000. This is what that amount will go towards:
- Locations
- Equipment
- Crew
- Actors
- Post-Production (Editing, Coloring, Sound Design, Mixing, Finishing)
- Set dressing and props
- Production Supplies
- SFX Makeup
- Wardrobe
- Meals
- Festival Submissions
WE MUST HIT 80% OF OUR GOAL IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ANY FUNDS.
We’ve already completed our first day of shooting and we have two further days of principal filming left. We are turning to our community of filmmakers, artists, and friends, and asking if they might like to share any amount to make this nightmarish dream a reality.
TRANSFERENCE will be the accumulation of everything Michael has been working towards for nearly 13 years. Michael's portfolio includes Deftones, Danny Elfman, Tony Hawk, AFI, Violet Chachki, Deafheaven, Gottmik, Mareux, Boy Harsher, and many more! This will be Michael's debut short film.
Our team is made up of professional filmmakers with 100 years of combined experience producing projects that have gone to AdAge, Cannes, SXSW, etc. See The Team tab for more info.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Meals
Costs $1,200
Our crew needs to eat!
Locations
Costs $2,300
This will cover our beautiful location fees associated with TRANSFERENCE
Principal, Supporting, and Background Cast
Costs $2,500
This includes all on-screen talent
EQUIPMENT
Costs $3,500
We need high end equipment to help elevate the visual language of the film.
SFX
Costs $1,500
We need SFX to portray trauma manifested.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Michael Zumaya
Director, Co-Writer
Michael Zumaya is a first-generation American Director and Producer who creates compelling visuals by exploring dark, taboo themes with tact and curiosity. His first job in film was working for Tony Hawk’s 900 Films, which would go on to help shape the YouTube platform into what it is today.
In 2019, Michael founded Muted Widows, a creative collective with Photographer / Director Nedda Afsari, and Director / Editor Michael E Linn. After over 70 music videos (and counting) for renowned genre artists like AFI, Deftones, Danny Elfman, and Boy Harsher, Michael’s expanded into more commercial, brand, and narrative projects. Outside of film, Michael is obsessed with 80s music, art, yoga, culture, being an uncle, Mexico, and single origin coffee.
Jenni Kaye
Producer
Jenni Kaye is an Austin-based producer, film programmer, and community builder. She founded Hyperreal Film Club, a nonprofit microcinema dedicated to championing underseen and independent cinema, and serves as a marketing consultant for Letterboxd and Magnolia Pictures.
Over the past 14 years, she has produced commercial campaigns for Alamo Drafthouse, Miro, and Mondo, as well as music videos for Sub Pop Records, Holodeck Records, and a range of independent Austin artists.
Ryan Hogue
Director of Photography
Having been in the Los Angeles film industry for over ten years as a Local 600 1st AC and Camera Operator, Ryan has had the privilege of working with countless professionals. They have instilled in Ryan the confidence and humility to continue growing his skills as a cinematographer and to look at every job as a learning experience. Ryan’s early background as a DP has been primarily in music videos and he wouldn't have it any other way. The ability to be creative on the fly and to work quickly on shoestring budgets has given Ryan the tools to DP on features and TV when the opportunity arises. Most recently, Ryan was 2nd Unit DP / Camera Operator on the highly acclaimed show High Potential.
Ryan has been collaborating heavily with Michael Zumaya over the last 11 years, working on over 30 projects together.
Matt Knutson
Co-Writer
Matt Knutson is a graduate of the University of New Orleans Creative Writing Workshop. He’s been a resident at the Sundress Academy for the Arts and his work has appeared in Cola Literary Review, Expat Press, Bat City Review and elsewhere. His manuscript “Quiet Homes In The Hills” was a semi-finalist for Iron Horse Literary Review’s 2024 Chapbook Contest, and his story “So Far Behind I Thought I Was First” was a finalist for Bridge Eight’s 2022 Summer Short Story Prize.
Originally from San Diego, he now lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and cat.
Ross Nervig
Co-Writer
Ross Nervig grew up on farms and ranches in Iowa and Colorado. After a career as a communications strategist, he received his MFA from the University of New Orleans in 2020 and there won the Svenson Prize for Fiction and the prize for Best Thesis. His publications include Kenyon Review, Southwest Review, and Bayou Magazine. In 2018, he was a writer-in-residence at the Lemon Tree House residency in Tuscany.
Currently, he lives in Nova Scotia with his wife and son.
Holly Haney
Producer, Head of Production
Holly Haney is an artist, film producer, and MIT-graduate living, working, and playing in Austin, Texas.
Wes Ellis
Producer, Stills Photographer
Wes Ellis is a visual-obsessed filmmaker and photographer in Austin, TX. His debut narrative short film, Neuro, premiered at SXSW 2025. In his day-to-day, Wes collaborates with the most recognized brands in the world such as A24, Star Wars, and Walt Disney Studios to create impactful photography and social-first video.
Dan Hirons
Post Producer, Editor
Dan is an Austin-based post-production producer and editor who helps creative teams craft compelling stories. In 2024, he founded Hi-Post, a boutique post house built on the belief that exceptional work comes from seamless, collaborative processes.
Over his career, Dan’s work has premiered at SXSW, Slamdance Film Festival, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, and the Edinburgh International Film Festival. His teams have received Emmy nominations for their work on CNN’s High Profits and the innovative interactive series In Space with Markiplier.
When he’s not serving as a steady hand in post, Dan enjoys spending time with his family and playing baseball with the Town Lake Nightcrawlers.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
AS OF MARCH 03 WE ARE AT 100% OF OUR INITIAL GOAL 🎉🖤📼🌀 !!!!!!!
Here's what we still need:
We can't believe it and are so beyond grateful for the outpouring support and excitement about our project. Thank you for believing in us!! While $11,000 covers our core production costs, there are additional expenses that weren't included in our initial goal. Any and all additional funds raised will continue to go directly back into the film and the people behind it, making it the best it can be.
$15,500 — Strengthening the Production
• Fully reimburse out-of-pocket production expenses
• Expand our post-production resources
- More support in sound design and mixing
- additional VFX correction
• Commission a custom title treatment that gives the film a distinct visual identity
• Build in contingency so we’re not cutting creative corners
$23,000 — Taking Care of Our Team & Festival Submissions
If we hit this goal, we're able to:
• Increase crew stipends across the board
• Cover festival submission fees
• Create a 5.1 surround sound mix for festival exhibition
• Allocate funds for marketing materials (poster design, trailer finishing, press assets)
• Give this film the strongest possible life after production
At its core, this film explores extreme grief. The kind that fractures memory and distorts identity. Through the lens of hypnotherapy and analog VHS footage, we follow a therapist who is trying to uncover something terrifying inside her patient’s memories, only to realize she is confronting her own past.
We’re living in a time when conversations around trauma and mental health are more open than ever, yet the emotional reality of trauma is still difficult to express. TRANSFERENCE uses horror as a language to communicate what words often cannot. Trauma rarely presents itself in clean, chronological narratives. It surfaces in jagged fragments. In strange splinters. In intrusions that feel both distant and immediate. This film embraces that disorientation instead of smoothing it out.
I’ve always been drawn towards subculture and the taboo instead of more mainstream topics. As a first-generation American child of Mexican immigrants, I was fortunately raised with both a deep respect for tradition and an equally deep love for cinema. In Mexican culture, death is embraced rather than feared — it’s often depicted in art, religion, and holidays. This upbringing and appreciation shaped who I am today; a career filmmaker who has been directing for over 15 years, leading projects that explore subversive themes with curiosity and tact.
My favorite films, life experiences, and art in general always have a cerebral element — something that leaves a mark.
I studied psychology in college, initially wanting to be a therapist. Our relationship with ourselves and working through trauma is important and meaningful to me. With TRANSFERENCE, I’m channeling my passion for the darker corners of the human experience: blending ambient music, psychology, and my vast experience as a visual director via music videos into a striking short.
As we’ve gotten deeper into the weeds of production, as films tend to do, this film has grown. We’ve been grateful recipients of the Nexus Grant from the City of Austin, but we still could use a little more help to cover the costs of production and post production.
Our initial goal for this crowdfund is $11,000. This is what that amount will go towards:
- Locations
- Equipment
- Crew
- Actors
- Post-Production (Editing, Coloring, Sound Design, Mixing, Finishing)
- Set dressing and props
- Production Supplies
- SFX Makeup
- Wardrobe
- Meals
- Festival Submissions
WE MUST HIT 80% OF OUR GOAL IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ANY FUNDS.
We’ve already completed our first day of shooting and we have two further days of principal filming left. We are turning to our community of filmmakers, artists, and friends, and asking if they might like to share any amount to make this nightmarish dream a reality.
TRANSFERENCE will be the accumulation of everything Michael has been working towards for nearly 13 years. Michael's portfolio includes Deftones, Danny Elfman, Tony Hawk, AFI, Violet Chachki, Deafheaven, Gottmik, Mareux, Boy Harsher, and many more! This will be Michael's debut short film.
Our team is made up of professional filmmakers with 100 years of combined experience producing projects that have gone to AdAge, Cannes, SXSW, etc. See The Team tab for more info.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Meals
Costs $1,200
Our crew needs to eat!
Locations
Costs $2,300
This will cover our beautiful location fees associated with TRANSFERENCE
Principal, Supporting, and Background Cast
Costs $2,500
This includes all on-screen talent
EQUIPMENT
Costs $3,500
We need high end equipment to help elevate the visual language of the film.
SFX
Costs $1,500
We need SFX to portray trauma manifested.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Michael Zumaya
Director, Co-Writer
Michael Zumaya is a first-generation American Director and Producer who creates compelling visuals by exploring dark, taboo themes with tact and curiosity. His first job in film was working for Tony Hawk’s 900 Films, which would go on to help shape the YouTube platform into what it is today.
In 2019, Michael founded Muted Widows, a creative collective with Photographer / Director Nedda Afsari, and Director / Editor Michael E Linn. After over 70 music videos (and counting) for renowned genre artists like AFI, Deftones, Danny Elfman, and Boy Harsher, Michael’s expanded into more commercial, brand, and narrative projects. Outside of film, Michael is obsessed with 80s music, art, yoga, culture, being an uncle, Mexico, and single origin coffee.
Jenni Kaye
Producer
Jenni Kaye is an Austin-based producer, film programmer, and community builder. She founded Hyperreal Film Club, a nonprofit microcinema dedicated to championing underseen and independent cinema, and serves as a marketing consultant for Letterboxd and Magnolia Pictures.
Over the past 14 years, she has produced commercial campaigns for Alamo Drafthouse, Miro, and Mondo, as well as music videos for Sub Pop Records, Holodeck Records, and a range of independent Austin artists.
Ryan Hogue
Director of Photography
Having been in the Los Angeles film industry for over ten years as a Local 600 1st AC and Camera Operator, Ryan has had the privilege of working with countless professionals. They have instilled in Ryan the confidence and humility to continue growing his skills as a cinematographer and to look at every job as a learning experience. Ryan’s early background as a DP has been primarily in music videos and he wouldn't have it any other way. The ability to be creative on the fly and to work quickly on shoestring budgets has given Ryan the tools to DP on features and TV when the opportunity arises. Most recently, Ryan was 2nd Unit DP / Camera Operator on the highly acclaimed show High Potential.
Ryan has been collaborating heavily with Michael Zumaya over the last 11 years, working on over 30 projects together.
Matt Knutson
Co-Writer
Matt Knutson is a graduate of the University of New Orleans Creative Writing Workshop. He’s been a resident at the Sundress Academy for the Arts and his work has appeared in Cola Literary Review, Expat Press, Bat City Review and elsewhere. His manuscript “Quiet Homes In The Hills” was a semi-finalist for Iron Horse Literary Review’s 2024 Chapbook Contest, and his story “So Far Behind I Thought I Was First” was a finalist for Bridge Eight’s 2022 Summer Short Story Prize.
Originally from San Diego, he now lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and cat.
Ross Nervig
Co-Writer
Ross Nervig grew up on farms and ranches in Iowa and Colorado. After a career as a communications strategist, he received his MFA from the University of New Orleans in 2020 and there won the Svenson Prize for Fiction and the prize for Best Thesis. His publications include Kenyon Review, Southwest Review, and Bayou Magazine. In 2018, he was a writer-in-residence at the Lemon Tree House residency in Tuscany.
Currently, he lives in Nova Scotia with his wife and son.
Holly Haney
Producer, Head of Production
Holly Haney is an artist, film producer, and MIT-graduate living, working, and playing in Austin, Texas.
Wes Ellis
Producer, Stills Photographer
Wes Ellis is a visual-obsessed filmmaker and photographer in Austin, TX. His debut narrative short film, Neuro, premiered at SXSW 2025. In his day-to-day, Wes collaborates with the most recognized brands in the world such as A24, Star Wars, and Walt Disney Studios to create impactful photography and social-first video.
Dan Hirons
Post Producer, Editor
Dan is an Austin-based post-production producer and editor who helps creative teams craft compelling stories. In 2024, he founded Hi-Post, a boutique post house built on the belief that exceptional work comes from seamless, collaborative processes.
Over his career, Dan’s work has premiered at SXSW, Slamdance Film Festival, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, and the Edinburgh International Film Festival. His teams have received Emmy nominations for their work on CNN’s High Profits and the innovative interactive series In Space with Markiplier.
When he’s not serving as a steady hand in post, Dan enjoys spending time with his family and playing baseball with the Town Lake Nightcrawlers.